75, widowed, no children, alone in life. Have been experiencing many falls and am on a walker. Home is old and high in maintenance. Friends keep pressuring me to look at Senior Living properties.
Have been to several, $4300-$6500. Cannot afford.
Do not need care dressing, medications, bathing etc.
What do seniors do who have no family but need senior living/assisted living homes? Does Medicare cover any of the costs? With the cost of living increases, rental increases, and on a fixed income, what are my options for a residence and care.
Houses are a lot of effort to maintain, and are expensive (taxes, insurance). Think about selling it, downsizing to a community that has a continuum of care (IL, AL, MC, LTC, hospice).
Odds are if you have been falling a lot lately and not addressing the reason (weakness, Parkinson, dizziness, HBP, etc) you will eventually have a medical event that will necessitate a higher level of care and management. Go to get checked. You don't have to accept falling -- it may be treatable. You need to preserve your mobility for as long as possible.
No, Medicare doesn't pay for custodial care. Medicaid does but you need to require LTC (bedridden) and meet the financial criteria.
You are what's called an "elder orphan". I mention this so you know what search phrase will be most helpful for your particular situation.
You need to create a PoA, someone willing, able and local. Someone younger than yourself. If you don't designate a PoA you will eventually become a ward of the county.
Consider a senior group home, faith-based care facilities, paying for in-home aids through an agency, or calling your county's social services to see if you qualify for any in-home funded help. Also contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more info and resources. And any local senior or community centers.
How much value in it?
Because I myself think that a paid for home is a bit of a treasure these days.
Certainly, without a life time of savings AND good luck, you are not going to be able to afford a good ALF. Sadly.
Have you at all looked into being in the same boat as some other seniors in your area. Other than faith based communities, I would not be certain how to reach out in your area, but I have always wondered why more seniors don't pool resources. Two widows, who can come to a solid agreement about a contract for living together, could rent out the home of one of them and live off proceeds of that combined with SS. Often one is capable of doing ONE thing and the other another thing. Just an idea to float.
See if there are Board and Cares near you. In my State, if you pay for an AL for at least two years, you maybe able to go on Medicaid if the facility has not met its quota. At 6k a month is your house worth at least 150k. If so that gets you almost two years in an AL.
Try 55 and up housing.