5 Assisted Living Communities in Porter County, Indiana

The average cost of assisted living in the county is $3,675 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the county, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 5 Assisted Living Communities in Porter County and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Porter County, IN

• Assisted Living: $3,675
• Nursing Home Care: $7,939
• In-home Care: $4,385
• Adult Day Health Services: $867

Porter County’s average monthly cost of assisted living is $3,675, which is below the state ($4,385) and national ($4,000) averages. Costs are higher in neighboring South Bend ($4,625) and Elkhart ($4,043) and significantly more expensive in nearby Chicago, IL ($4,794). 

Throughout Indiana, assisted living prices start at $2,978 in Fort Wayne and go up to $5,205 in Lafayette. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Porter County, so data for the closest city, Michigan City, was used. 

Senior care costs in Porter County range from $867 for adult day health services up to $7,939 for around-the-clock medical care in a nursing facility. Generally speaking, costs reflect the level of care that comes with each service.  Assisted living costs an average of $3,675 per month and includes meals, private or semiprivate accommodations and limited nonmedical supervision. In-home care from a homemaker or a home health aide costs $4,385 per month based on 44 hours of service weekly, and they don’t include room-and-board costs. 

Medicaid is a nationwide, government-funded health care program that gives low-income individuals access to essential health services. In accordance with federal law, all Medicaid plans must include coverage for physician services, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, transportation to Medicaid-funded services, X-rays, lab tests and long-term care in a nursing home. 

In Indiana, seniors aged 65 and older may qualify for free long-term Medicaid benefits if they meet the financial and medical criteria. Income limits are set at $2,313 monthly per person and assets are limited to $2,000 per person and $3,000 per couple when both spouses require care. Seniors must also need assistance with three activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating, dressing, toileting or mobility. 

Aged and Disabled Waiver

Seniors who qualify for Medicaid coverage and need the level of care provided in a nursing home may be eligible for the Aged and Disabled waiver, a home and community-based services waiver program. 

This waiver lets seniors age in place in their home or a noninstitutional setting, such as an assisted living facility, by funding enhanced supports and services. These benefits are assigned by the participant’s case manager in accordance with their plan of care. 

Waiver services may include: 

• Adult day health programming
• Homemaker 
• Pest control
• Medical supplies and durable medical equipment 
• Nonemergency transportation
• Self-directed attendant care
• Nutritional supplements
• A wearable medical alert device
• Assisted living services
• Transition support (for seniors who currently live in a nursing home)

To apply for Indiana Medicaid or the Aged and Disabled waiver, contact the Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation at (219) 794-1829. 

Elderlife Financial Assisted Living Bridge Loan

Seniors who transition from their own home into an assisted living community often need access to cash to cover moving expenses and monthly care costs. Elderlife’s assisted living bridge loan is designed to bridge the financial gap that can occur while seniors are waiting for their homes to sell, liquidating their investments or paying the deductible on their long-term care insurance policy. 

To qualify for a bridge loan, seniors must have a good credit score as the loan is set up as an unsecured line of credit. Up to six people can be listed on the loan application to improve the overall creditworthiness, and applications can be processed online or over the phone for free. In most cases a response is provided within 24 hours, and successful applicants can access the funds immediately.

For more information, including current interest rates, call Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Residential Care Assistance Program

Seniors aged 65 and older who receive Supplemental Security Income benefits and/or are covered under Medicaid and are unable to live independently may qualify for the Residential Care Assistance Program. 

The RCAP covers room-and-board costs in RCAP-approved facilities for seniors who need some assistance but don’t meet Medicaid’s criteria for nursing home placement. It’s also important to note that RCAP approved facilities aren’t available in every county, so applicants may need to move to a county where placement is available. 

For more information, contact Porter County Aging and Community Services at (219) 464-9736. 

Veterans and their families can access free help with VA benefit claims, appeals and state and federal entitlements at the Porter County Veterans Service Office.

Comprehensive outpatient VA health services are available at the Adam Benjamin Jr. VA Outpatient Clinic. Services include primary and women’s health care, chronic disease management, optometry and audiology, social work and addictions counseling. 

Porter County Veterans Service Office
155 Indiana Ave., Valparaiso, IN 46383
(219) 465-3587

Adam Benjamin Jr. VA Clinic
9301 Madison St., Crown Point, IN 46307-7745
(219) 662-5000

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