Had to choose between a nursing home and in-home care for my mom... the cost difference was wild

I spent last month comparing two home care agencies against a facility near us in Columbus, and I was shocked to find the nursing home was actually running us $8,200 a month... while the in-home aide we ended up using is only $5,600 for 40 hours a week. The real kicker was the facility wanted to charge extra for laundry and basic stuff like helping her shower. Has anyone else seen this kind of price gap where they live?

3 comments

3 Comments

morgan.jason2d ago

Wow, you'd think the nursing home was running a luxury hotel with that "extra charge for breathing" pricing model. So they wanted you to pay extra for laundry and showering, which is basically the whole point of having staff around. That's like a car dealership charging you extra for the tires. I guess the "homey" atmosphere they advertise doesn't include basic hygiene. Glad you found the in-home option, it sounds like they're actually treating your mom like a human being instead of a cash cow.

blair_chen8116h ago

Funny enough, my cousin had the exact same thing happen with her dad's assisted living place, except they tried to charge extra for "meal supervision" - like, watching him eat so he didn't choke. Isn't that literally part of their job? She ended up pulling him out and hiring a neighbor kid to come by a few times a day for way less money. The kid even helps with light housework and they're all friends now. Sometimes the "official" places just get too greedy with all those little fees they hope you won't notice.

wader712d ago

Man, tell me about it. I went through the same song and dance with my dad's place a few years back. The trick is to ask them for a complete price list upfront, in writing, before you even tour the place. If they dodge that, you know it's a red flag. We ended up hiring a private aide two days a week for the stuff the home wouldn't cover, and it actually saved us money in the long run. You really got to watch for those nickel and dime charges, it's like they're trying to make the sale look cheap on paper then hit you later. Good call on the in-home care, it's usually way more straightforward with no hidden surprises.