Number of assisted living facilities in the United States 2006-2015

In 2015, there were around 15,800 assisted living facilities in the United States, a slight rise from recent years. Assisted living facilities are housing facilities to help people with disabilities or those who cannot live independently, perhaps due to age. Assisted living facilities provide appropriate medical care as well as assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting and eating, among other needs.

Costs

As of 2018, the national median monthly rate for an assisted living facility in the United States was 4,000 U.S. dollars. This was a 6.7 percent increase from the previous year. The state with the highest annual costs for an assisted living facility is Alaska, followed by New Jersey and Hawaii. Medicare does not cover the cost of assisted living facilities forcing many to pay out of pocket. Medicaid may cover some costs of assisted living depending on eligibility.

Residents

Unsurprisingly, most residential care patients are over 85 years old. In fact, less than 10 percent of such patients are under 65 years. The most common activities that patients need assistance with include bathing, walking, dressing and toileting. Some of the most common medical conditions patients have been diagnosed with include Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, heart disease, depression, and diabetes.