4 Assisted Living Communities in Wesley Chapel, Florida

The average cost of assisted living in the area is $3,250 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the area, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 4 Assisted Living Communities in Wesley Chapel and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Wesley Chapel, FL

• Assisted Living: $3,250
• Nursing Home Care: $8,319
• In-home Care: $3,718
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,907

Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study shows that the average monthly price of assisted living care in Wesley Chapel is $3,250. Costs here are below the state ($3,500) and national ($4,000) averages, and they’re lower than neighboring cities, such as North Port ($3,874) and Homosassa Springs ($4,125). 

Overall, assisted living costs in Florida are lower than many other states, with prices starting at $2,808 per month in Lakeland. Costs are above the state average throughout the panhandle and North Florida and lowest in central and south Florida. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Wesley Chapel, so data for the closest city, Tampa, was used. 

Senior care costs in Wesley Chapel range from $1,907 per month for adult day health services up to $8,319 for a semiprivate room in nursing home care. The significant price difference reflects the fact that nursing facilities provide 24/7 medical care for fragile seniors, while day health programs provide nonmedical supervision in a group setting.  At $3,250 per month, assisted living costs less than either a homemaker ($3,718) or home health aide ($4,096) for 44 hours of weekly service. It’s important to recognize that assisted living costs include private or semiprivate accommodations, meals and access to common areas, such as gardens, fitness centers and craft rooms. 

 

About 16% of Florida children, adults with disabilities and the elderly are covered under Medicaid, a government health program for needy Americans and qualified immigrants. 

Medicaid benefits include primary care from a family doctor, hospital services, home health care and nursing facility care. Each state operates its own Medicaid program and optional benefits may be offered through state-specific Medicaid waivers. 

To qualify for long-term Medicaid services, Florida residents must have a monthly income of $2,313 or less, and own fewer than $2,000 in countable assets ($3,000 per couple). Some assets are exempt, such as a personal vehicle, an irrevocable burial contract and a home, condominium or mobile home assessed at $585,000 or less. 

Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long Term Care Program

Florida’s Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long Term Care program provides eligible seniors with enhanced medical and support services to delay or prevent nursing home placement. To qualify, seniors must meet Medicaid’s income and asset limits and be assessed as needing the level of care normally offered in a nursing home facility. 

SMMC LTC services are delivered through a managed care plan under contract with Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration. These services are provided in an assisted living setting and assigned based on medical need, and must include: 

• Adult day health care
• Attendant and personal care
• Case management
• Homemaker services
• Hospice care
• Skilled nursing 
• Medical supplies
• Mobility equipment
• A medical alert system
• Rehabilitation therapies
• Transportation

Under federal law, all seniors who request long-term Medicaid services must be assessed by a registered nurse or other approved assessor. If the senior is deemed to be a good candidate for the SMMC LTC program, a referral is made by a physician. 

For more information and to request a SMMC LTC assessment, contact the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas at (800) 963-5337. 

VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound Enhanced Pension 

The VA has two special pension programs, Aid and Attendance and Housebound.

Veterans and surviving spouses who qualify for the VA basic pension and have a permanent disability or chronic illness may be eligible for one of these two enhanced monthly pension benefits. Because the maximum allowable income for these enhanced benefits is higher than the regular VA pension income limit, claimants who were previously denied the basic pension may also be eligible. 

For Aid and Attendance, claimants must be either legally blind, bedridden, reside in a nursing home or need help to perform activities of daily living. 

For Housebound, claimants must either have a permanent disability rated at 100% that renders them homebound or have one permanent disability rated at 100% and at least one more disability rated at 60% or more. 

To learn more about these two VA pension programs, contact the Pasco County Division of Veterans Services at (727) 834-3282.

Optional State Supplementation

Low-income seniors who reside in an assisted living facility and collect Supplemental Security Income may qualify for a state-sponsored top-up through the Optional State Supplementation program. 

OSS payments provide eligible seniors with up to $78.40 in benefits that are added onto the monthly SSI benefits. Couples may be eligible for up to $156.80 per month. 

For more information, contact ACCESS Florida at (866) 762-2237. 

Seniors aged 65 and older qualify for half-price fares on allPasco County public transit routes. Riders who are unable to use the regular fixed-route service due to a disability or distance from a bus stop, can register for door-to-door paratransit service by calling the Florida Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged at (800) 983-2435. 

The Pasco County Division of Veterans Services helps veterans and survivors collect their maximum entitlements through local, state and federal benefit programs. 

VA health services, including 24-hour emergency, cardiology and oncology care are available at the nearby James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa. 

Pasco County Division of Veterans Services
8620 Galen Wilson Blvd., Port Richey, FL 34668
(727) 834-3282

James A. Haley Veterans Hospital
13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612
(813) 972-2000

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.