Assisted Living In Mississippi

Assisted living facilities provide care and supervision for residents who require assistance with the tasks of daily life. If you’ve been researching assisted living (AL) facilities for your elderly parent or loved one, you’re aware that there are numerous factors to consider.

As you continue your search, you may even find yourself asking more and more questions. Fortunately, that’s where we come in: We’re here to answer your questions and (hopefully) make the process easier.

If you believe your loved one could benefit from assistance with activities of daily living (ADL), residential assisted living may be the best option. Below you’ll find information on assisted living costs and services in Mississippi, in order to help you better understand what’s available in your area.

What Is Assisted Senior Living?

First and foremost, it is essential to understand that AL facilities are not nursing homes. Instead of focusing mostly on medical care (which is the predominant service provided by nursing homes), the primary goal of assisted living services is to assist residents with basic ADL functions.

Some sparse medical treatment related to ADL may be provided by assisted living communities (oxygen and prescription management, to name a couple), but patients with more rigorous clinical standards will likely be referred to a nursing home instead for 24/7 care.

Ask yourself: Is your loved one still relatively healthy and active? Do they require more attention and assistance with daily activities? If so, an assisted living home is likely the best option.

What Daily Life Looks Like in an Assisted Living Home

As stated above, the main goal of residential assisted living is to provide patients with ADL care and assistance. Essentially, assisted living communities provide residents with the ability to go about their daily life with more comfort, confidence, and ease. Personal care (for example, hygiene/grooming), mobility assistance (for example, getting up, sitting down, climbing stairs, and walking), and meal preparation are all examples of ADL assistance.

The residential assisted living facility you’re considering may also offer additional services, so be sure to call the home(s) you’re thinking about to ask specific questions about a service your loved one may require.

Assisted Living Services in Mississippi

The Mississippi Division of Medicaid provides something known the as the Assisted Living Waiver, which illustrates the services provided with senior assisted living. These services include, but are not limited to:

• housekeeping
• personal care
• individual case management/care plan
• medication management
• transportation
• nursing
• assisted living community programs/recreation
• therapy services

In order to qualify for the assisted living waiver, your loved one must require assistance in one or more of the following areas:

• ADL
• instrumental ADL
• cognitive and/or sensory deficits
• behavioral deficits
• chronic medical conditions
• medications/medical equipment

Mississippi Assisted Living Costs

It is no secret that residential assisted living facilities are on the pricier side. The national average is roughly $4,500 per month, but the state of Mississippi is actually more affordable than most. The average monthly assisted living cost in Mississippi is about $3,500.

It’s important to note that prices may vary based on the city in which you are living. The monthly average costs of assisted living in some major Mississippi cities include:

• Hattiesburg: $3,575
• Gulfport-Biloxi: $3,650
• Jackson-Ridgeland: $4,163

Financial Assistance for AL Costs

We understand that it can be an intimidating task trying to find a way to finance assisted living costs. That’s why we’re here to help you discover how your loved one may be able to receive financial assistance for AL. We’ll begin by outlining the differences between Medicare and Medicaid:

Throughout the nation, it is unlikely that Medicare will cover costs associated with AL. This is due to the fact that Medicare focuses primarily on medical/clinical services, whereas assisted living focuses more on helping residents with ADL. While Medicare likely won’t cover in-home AL costs, it may cover some external costs, such as prescriptions and outside medical care/equipment.

Fortunately, Medicaid is much more likely to cover costs associated with assisted living facilities. This will go hand-in-hand with the Assisted Living Waiver you’ll fill out for your loved one, as listed above. Qualification for Medicaid will be contingent upon certain factors, including:

• age
• level of impairment
• monthly income
• assets

To learn more, contact the Mississippi Division of Medicaid at 1-800-421-2408.

From Independent to Assisted Living: Knowing When It’s Time

We all need help as we get older — it’s only natural, and it’s completely normal. It isn’t easy making the decision to transition from independent to assisted senior living. We hope that this information has helped you decide whether or not AL services are right for your aging parent.

Here are a few signs it may be time to transition to assisted living:

• Your aging parent forgets to take medications regularly.
• Your loved one is struggling to meet their own basic needs, such as bathing and cooking.
• House chores, like laundry and light cleaning, are extremely tiresome.
• Your parent can’t get around on their own.

Deciding on Residential Assisted Living

We hope that the resources we’ve provided throughout this article will help you find the best residential assisted living community for your aging parent’s unique requirements.

As always, we are here to assist your loved ones in aging with ease and dignity. Browse our Mississippi assisted living home directory for more information on specific services and costs. Aging is already difficult enough — we’re here to provide more comfort and understanding.