What is Senior Living?

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Senior Living in South Dakota

With land aplenty and a low cost of living, South Dakota has become a surprising gem of a retirement destination. More than 139,000 seniors live in the Mount Rushmore State, which doesn’t charge them a state income tax or tax Social Security benefits. Residents looking to expand their educational horizons can take college classes for 25% of the cost, and seniors also receive discounts at collegiate theatre performances at South Dakota State. Fishing is a popular pastime with the Missouri River running through the state, and seniors pay less than half-price for a fishing license. Outdoor enthusiasts love the challenging walking trails of the Black Hills region, and seniors pay half-price to park at Mount Rushmore National Park.

To help seniors discover the most senior-friendly locations around the country, Caring.com conducted a new study, “The Best and Worst Places for Senior Living.” The Caring Senior Living Report analyzes and ranks 300 cities and 50 states on the quality of senior living in that area. The cities were graded using 46 metrics across five categories: Health Care, Senior Living & Housing, Affordability, Quality of life, and Transportation.

As of 2024, approximately 6.9 million seniors aged 65 and older live with dementia in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Managing cognitive impairments at home can become challenging and unsafe for some seniors, leading many families to seek memory care when symptoms start.

Memory care communities provide a safe alternative for those with memory challenges. These residences staff professionals with extensive training in dementia care and offer a wide range of cognitively stimulating treatments to provide seniors with a high quality of life. They also ensure resident safety through measures such as controlled access, 24/7 monitoring and enclosed outdoor spaces to prevent wandering.

Memory care communities frequently provide opportunities for residents to socialize and engage in meaningful hobbies. Some communities may offer recreational activities that specifically benefit people living with cognitive challenges, such as visits from therapy pets, gardening and musical entertainment.

This guide will provide detailed information to help caregivers and family members better understand how memory care can help and what to look for when choosing a community.

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What is Assisted Living?

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Assisted living is a type of long-term residential senior care designed for older adults who need help with their everyday personal needs, like bathing and dressing, and other tasks, such as laundry and transportation.

Unlike nursing homes, assisted living facilities (ALFs) do not provide skilled medical care. Rather, ALFs offer residents daily support, a social environment, and around-the-clock staff available for emergency support. Care is catered to each individual, so residents can remain as independent as possible. This makes assisted living a good fit for many seniors who are beginning to have challenges with their day-to-day tasks but do not need ongoing medical care.

Key Points

Assisted living is a type of senior living that provides residents with assistance with their daily tasks but does not offer regular skilled medical care
Assisted living is a good fit for seniors who need help performing their daily activities but do not need regular medical care
As of 2023, assisted living costs an average of $4,459 per month in the United States
Medicare does not cover assisted living, but many states’ Medicaid waiver programs and some VA benefits provide some financial assistance

Is Assisted Living Right for You?

Assisted living is a good fit for people who need assistance with the activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing and dressing, want to have around-the-clock help available, and seek opportunities to socialize with other people in the same life stage.

To meet those needs, some of the services you’ll find in assisted living include:

Help with ADLs
Medication management
Prepared meals
Housekeeping and laundry services
Interior and exterior home maintenance
Planned group activities, events and outings
Transportation
Physical and occupational therapy services (sometimes off-site)

Some of the amenities you’ll typically find in assisted living include:

On-site fitness center
Activity room and other shared spaces such as a library or art studio
Salon or barbershop
Worship room
Group dining areas

Continue Reading: See common activities you can expect to find in assisted living communities

Signs It’s Time for Assisted Living

When trying to determine if it’s time for you or your loved one to move to assisted living, focus on indicators that it’s becoming difficult to complete ADLs, — and that living on one’s own has become unmanageable or unsafe.

Some of these behaviors include:

Noticeable weight loss or increased frailty
Changes in one’s appearance, such as stained clothing or unkempt hair
Recent accidents in the home (such as a fall) or while driving
Loneliness due to lack of companionship
Bills and loans going unpaid and mail from creditors going unopened
Stale or expired foods in the pantry and refrigerator
Broken appliances that your loved one used to use regularly
Signs of lax housekeeping such as a dirty bathroom or lots of clutter around the home

If it does sound like it’s time for you or your loved one to move to assisted living, you can call (800) 558-0653 for free, personalized assistance finding the right community from one of our trained Family Advisors.

Continue Reading: Find out more about how to know when it’s time for assisted living in our Answers Center

Assisted Living vs. Other Types of Senior Care

If you’re unsure if assisted living is right for you, one of the other types of senior care may be a better fit. See how they compare below.

Care Type	Shared Spaces + Group Activities	Offers housekeeping	Offers Assistance with ADLs*	Offers skilled nursing services	Assistance available 24/7
Assisted Living	✔	✔	✔	✔**	✔
In-Home Care	✗	✔	✔	✗	✗
Home Health Care	✗	✔	✔	✔	✗
55+ Communities	✔	✗	✗	✗	✗
Independent Living	✔	✔	✗	✗	✗
Memory Care	✔	✔	✔	✔**	✔
Skilled Nursing Homes	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Continuing Care Retirement Communities	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔

*Activities of Daily Living. Learn More About ADLs.

**Regular skilled nursing care is sometimes, but not always, offered in assisted living and memory care communities.

Learn More About How Assisted Living Compares To Other Types of Senior Care

How Much Does Assisted Living Cost?

As of 2023, the national average cost of assisted living is $4,459 per month. This can vary drastically depending on several factors:

Location: Costs vary significantly in different areas of the country. If you live in a high-cost-of-living area, expect to pay on the high end for assisted living.
Type of Community: While all assisted living communities provide assistance with ADLs, the “extras” can vary significantly. Luxury assisted living communities will have upgraded amenities and services like on-demand concierge or on-site golf courses, while affordable senior living communities will have fewer lifestyle services and may have older construction. Both can offer a great assisted living experience; it just depends on what your budget and priorities are.
Individual Services Needed: Some communities charge an extra fee for services that go beyond help with ADLs, such as physical and occupational therapy.
Cost Structure: Some ALFs charge an all-inclusive monthly fee, while others may charge for things like therapy services, group outings, or food, drinks or snacks eaten outside of mealtimes. Be sure to review a community’s cost structure in detail to understand the total cost.

Caring.com’s Cost Methodology
The average monthly cost of assisted living figure cited above is from Caring.com’s proprietary calculation, which is based on costs from over 75,000 senior living providers.
Learn More About Caring.com’s Cost Data Methodology

How to Pay for Assisted Living

Because assisted living communities are not medical facilities, they are not covered by Medicare. Likewise, assisted living is not one of the covered services under standard Medicaid. However, many states offer Medicaid waivers, add-ons to standard Medicaid, that can help seniors pay for assisted living. Additionally, there are other ways to make assisted living more affordable, including:

Veteran benefits
Long-term care insurance
Annuities
Reverse mortgages
Life insurance payouts

Continue Reading: Learn more about the different ways you can pay for assisted living

How to Find Assisted Living

If you’re looking for an assisted living community for yourself or a loved one, we can help. Caring.com’s expert Family Advisors provide no-cost, personalized advice and recommendations for care seekers like you. Call (800) 558-0653 to speak with an advisor and start the process of finding the right assisted living community for you.

For guidance on what to look for in an assisted living community for yourself or a loved one, you can read our guide to How to Choose an Assisted Living Community.

Or, if you’d like to start your search independently, you can use the module below to get started.