Assisted Living Community in Tryon, North Carolina

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $4,491 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You'll find in-depth information on 1 assisted living facilities in Tryon and 29 in surrounding areas.

The Cost of Senior Care in Tryon, NC

• Assisted Living: $4,491
• Nursing Home Care: $7,680
• In-home Care: $3,909
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,083

Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study collected senior care cost data nationwide, and it shows that monthly assisted living costs in Tryon are higher than the state ($3,693) and national ($4,000) averages. 

Prices are similar in Winston-Salem ($4,215), Greenboro ($4,883) and Greenville ($4,700), while prices are lower in areas to the east, such as Hickory ($3,300), Charlotte ($3,803) and Burlington ($2,800). 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Tryon, so data for the closest city, Asheville, was used. 

At $7,680 per month for a semiprivate room, nursing home care in Tryon is the most expensive senior care option, since it includes around-the-clock skilled nursing and room-and-board in a specialized, state-licensed nursing facility. Assisted living, which also includes room and board, is more expensive than in-home care from a homemaker service or home health aide. However, seniors who choose to remain in their own homes need to budget for ongoing living expenses, such as utility payments, home maintenance, groceries and property taxes. 

 

Medicaid, or NC Medicaid as it’s called in North Carolina, is the federally mandated government health plan for low-income children, adults with disabilities and seniors. By law, Medicaid services must include physician, home health, emergency, diagnostic and long-term care, and eligibility is based on a number of factors, including age, health, income and personal resources. 

In North Carolina, seniors who receive Supplemental Security Income and/or State-County Special Assistance for the Aged or Disabled are automatically enrolled in NC Medicaid. 

Seniors must meet the following criteria to qualify for NC Medicaid coverage: 

• Be permanent residents of North Carolina
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Either be a US citizen or in possession of eligible immigration status
• Have a monthly income of $1,041 or less ($1,410 for couples applying together)
• Have no more than $2,000 worth of countable assets when applying as an individual or $3,000 in joint assets when applying with a spouse

Income from all sources, including wages, alimony, pensions and investments, is included, and cash, stocks, life insurance policies and recreational real estate are considered countable assets. 

Some assets are exempt, such as: 

• Clothing, jewellery and household furnishings
• One vehicle
• An owner-occupied home appraised up to $585,000
• A non-revocable burial contract

Under the community spouse resource allowance clause, joint assets are exempt up to $126,420 for a non-applicant spouse when only one spouse is seeking coverage. The non-applicant spouse may also draw a minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance of up to $3,160.50 to pay for food, shelter and ongoing expenses. 

Personal Care Services

NC Medicaid-enrolled seniors who reside in assisted living and require some level of assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, mobility, eating, dressing and toileting, may be eligible for help through the Personal Care Services program.

This NC Medicaid entitlement program covers up to 60 hours of personal care services monthly for all applicants approved by a designated assessor — up to 80 hours monthly with a written recommendation by a physician under the PCS Plus program. 

To qualify, seniors must have an ongoing illness, age-related loss of function or permanent disability that impairs their abilities to perform ADLs independently, one of the following must apply: 

• Need some help with any three out of the five ADLs
• Need extensive hands-on help to perform one ADL and some help to perform another ADL
• Be entirely reliant on another person to perform one ADL and need some help with another ADL

To apply for NC Medicaid or the PSC program, contact the Polk County Department of Social Services at (828) 894-2100.

State-County Special Assistance Program

Seniors who live in a licensed assisted living facility with 24/7 staffing and receive Supplemental Security Income benefits could qualify for additional funds for use towards their room-and-board costs. 

The State-County Special Assistance (for adult care home residents) program provides eligible seniors with up to $1,228 per month in combined SSI/SA benefits. 

For more information and application assistance, contact the Polk County Department of Social Services at (828) 894-2100. 

Elderlife Financial Reverse Mortgage

Couples who own their home and need access to cash to fund assisted living for one spouse may be eligible for a government-approved reverse mortgage through Elderlife financial services. 

To qualify for a reverse mortgage, homeowners remaining in the home must be 62 or older. Funds can be used to pay off debts, cover assisted living fees and finance private health insurance. 

The application and approval process may take up to 90 days and includes extensive HUD-approved consumer financial counseling and information sessions, ensuring seniors are fully informed about the reverse mortgage contract. 

For more information contact Elderlife Financial Services at (888) 228-4500. 

Polk County Senior Services operates three senior centers (one main and two satellite centers) open to Tryon residents age 60 and older. Known as The Meeting Place, these centers offer various activities to keep seniors busy, including exercise classes, organized games, crafting lessons, billiards, table tennis and access to a library and computer lab. 

Centers also host regular community health and resource events where seniors can learn about area services and are provided medical screenings for diabetes, high blood pressure and hearing loss. 

Seniors who need low-cost transportation service in Tryon can contact the Polk County Transportation Authority. 

The Meeting Place
75 Carmel Ln., Columbus, NC 28722
(828) 894-0001

Polk County Transportation Authority
40 Courthouse St., Columbus, NC 28722
(828) 894-8203

The Polk County Veteran’s Services office acts as a liaison between veterans, dependents and survivors and the VA. The VSO provides information on VA benefits and programs and assists with VA benefit applications. 

VA health care services are available at the nearby Rutherford County VA Clinic, an outpatient facility affiliated with the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville. The local American Legion post hosts weekly bingo games, memorial events and honors guards at the burial of every veteran in the county. 

Polk County American Legion Memorial Post 250
43 Depot St., Tryon, NC 28782
(828) 440-1113

Polk County Veteran’s Services
75 Carmel Ln., Columbus, NC 28722
(828) 894-0003

Rutherford County VA Clinic
374 Charlotte Rd., Rutherfordton, NC 28139-2916
(828) 288-2780

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