Assisted Living in Rochester Hills, MI

Assisted Living Costs in Rochester Hills

Seniors in Rochester Hills pay an average of $4,224 per month for assisted living. This is about $375 more than the state median ($3,850) and $224 higher than the national average ($4,000). Assisted living costs more in some cities in this area of Michigan, including Lansing ($4,500) and Monroe ($4,720).

The monthly price is somewhat more affordable in Flint ($3,950) and significantly less expensive in Battle Creek ($3,050). The biggest price differences are seen in Ann Arbor, which has the state’s highest assisted living cost at $5,050, and seniors pay the lowest average rate of $2,825 per month in Saginaw.

Note: Specific data for senior care costs in Rochester Hills wasn’t available. Data for the Detroit area was used instead.

The Cost of Assisted Living in Surrounding Areas

Care Cost Comparison

The level of care needed and setting are major contributors to the cost of senior care. In Rochester Hills, nursing home ($9,095) and home health aide ($4,528) services that provide skilled care are the highest-priced options. While home health aide care averages just $300 more per month than assisted living ($4,224), nursing homes charge more than double the rate, mainly due to the 24/7 skilled nursing and other specialized care services offered.

The average rate for homemaker services ($4,433) is about $200 higher than assisted living. To compare in-home care with assisted living accurately, seniors must consider the cost of meals and accommodations. Assisted living facilities generally provide room and board, but seniors living at home have to pay their own living expenses in addition to the cost of care services.

Senior Care Cost Comparison Chart

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Rochester Hills

Medicaid in Michigan

Medicaid is a jointly funded federal and state government-run program that ensures Americans with limited resources receive vital health care services. The program is regulated federally and administered by each state. Roughly 2.2 million residents receive coverage through the Michigan state program, including almost half a million elderly, blind and disabled individuals.

Seniors in Rochester Hills who meet the Michigan Medicaid eligibility guidelines receive comprehensive health care benefits that include:

• Doctor and specialist care
• Inpatient, outpatient and emergency hospital services
• Ambulance and nonemergency medical transportation
• X-rays, lab and other diagnostics
• Prescription medications
• Long-term care in a nursing home

Qualifying for Michigan Medicaid for Long-Term Care

Michigan residents must be American citizens or legal immigrants to qualify for long-term care coverage through Medicaid. Applicants must also be aged 65 or older or disabled or blind if aged 64 or younger. Rochester Hills residents eligible for or receiving federal Supplemental Security Income benefits are automatically enrolled in Medicaid. Other applicants must have:

• No more than $2,313 in monthly income per individual
• No more than $2,000 in countable assets if single or $3,000 in combined assets if married and applying with a spouse

The state counts income from all sources when determining Medicaid eligibility, but it disregards several assets, including one vehicle, personal belongings, irrevocable burial trusts, an owner-occupied home worth $585,000 or less and household furnishings.

Rochester Hills residents can apply for Medicaid online or in person at the Michigan Health and Human Services office located at 51111 Woodward Avenue in Pontiac. Those who need assistance with their application can call (844) 799-9876.

MI Choice Waiver

Medicaid-eligible Rochester Hills residents who’ve been assessed as needing a nursing home level of care but want to remain at home or in the community can apply for the MI Choice waiver program. To qualify, applicants must be aged 65 or older or younger than aged 64 and blind or disabled. They also must be cognitively and physically able to safely live in the community with the support services provided through the waiver.

Participants in the program are given full Medicaid medical benefits and one or more of the following waiver services:

• Care coordination
• Transitional assistance to relocate to a community setting
• Community living support services
• Private-duty nursing care
• Preventive nursing services
• Counseling
• Medical equipment and supplies not provided through regular Medicaid
• Personal emergency response systems
• Nonmedical transportation

Because the MI Choice waiver isn’t a Medicaid entitlement program, participation is capped. Depending on current enrollment across the state, qualified applicants may be put on a waiting list to receive services.

For more information about the MI Choice waiver or to apply, seniors in Rochester Hills should contact Area Agency on Aging 1-B at (800) 852-7795.

Other Financial Assistance Programs for Assisted Living

Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly

Rochester Hill seniors have another alternative to institutional nursing home admission with the PACE program of Southeast Michigan. This program provides all-inclusive medical services and long-term care to help seniors age in place in their own home or a community setting.

Medicaid-eligible seniors and those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and aged 55 or older may qualify to receive PACE services at no cost. The program doesn’t cover the cost of services provided in an assisted living facility or pay a participant’s room-and-board fees. However, the services provided by PACE may help some seniors lower their monthly care costs.

Seniors who wish to apply must:

• Be assessed as needing a nursing home level of care
• Be deemed able to live outside an institutional setting without safety concerns
• Live within the PACE service area

Seniors presently enrolled in the MI Choice waiver or an HMO are ineligible for the program.

PACE participants are evaluated by the program’s interdisciplinary team and a personalized care plan is developed to meet their needs. The plan provides full medical coverage, care coordination and PACE support services as deemed necessary, such as:

• Assistance with personal care
• Social and recreational activities
• Physical, rehabilitative, occupational and speech therapy
• Help performing daily living activities
• Prepared meals and snacks
• Nutritional counseling
• Skilled nursing care
• Transportation to the PACE center and medical appointments

For more information about the program or to apply, Rochester Hills residents can call PACE Southeast Michigan at (855) 445-4554.

Optional State Supplementation

Disabled adults and seniors eligible for or receiving SSI benefits may also qualify for a monthly amount from the Michigan Optional State Supplementation program. The benefit level depends on a person’s income and living situation, but the program may provide individuals with an extra $179.30 and married couples up to $695.60 on their monthly SSI check.

To apply for SSI and OSS benefits, Rochester Hills residents can contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213.

Assisted Living Resources in Rochester Hills

Veterans Resources

At the Oakland County Veterans Services office in Troy, senior veterans can receive assistance from staff filing applications for state and VA benefits as well as transportation to VA medical facilities in Ann Arbor and Detroit. The Pontiac VA outpatient clinic offers primary care, lab and pharmacy services, and referrals to VA medical centers for specialist care.

Oakland County Veterans Services Troy Office
1151 Crooks Rd., Entrance B, Troy, MI 48084
(248) 655-1250

Pontiac VA Outpatient Clinic
44200 Woodward Ave., Ste. 208, Pontiac, MI 48341
(248) 332-4540

Community Services

The Older Persons’ Commission offers a wealth of programs, activities and services for residents aged 50 plus in Rochester Hills, Rochester and Oakland Township. The commission is housed in a state-of-the-art 90,000 sq. ft. facility with a pool, fitness center, library and activity center.

The OPC provides numerous senior support services, including home-delivered meals, adult day care, transportation, local resource referrals and a travel service that organizes local, overnight and extended trips.

Activity center membership is free and local residents just need to register. Members can enjoy daily hot lunches; play billiards, bridge or mahjong; stay fit with aquatic exercises, tai chi, yoga or Zumba; or join a ballroom or belly dancing class. Foreign language classes and creative pursuits, such as painting, pottery, woodshop and needlecrafts, are also offered.

The center also hosts weekly nurse visits, regular health screenings, a medical equipment loaner program and member support groups.

Older Persons’ Commission
650 Letica Dr., Rochester, MI 48307
(248) 656-1403