Retirement

How much is Brookdale senior living?

What is Brookdale Senior Living, what does it offer, and how much does it cost? We answer all these questions and more!

3 min read

As old age kicks in, seniors may find themselves overly attached to living situations that no longer serve their needs. Brookdale Senior Living provides an alternative for seniors, with a promise of improved quality of life and having help available when needed. 

Brookdale Senior Living care options range from simple in-home care, starting at $600 per month, right through to intensive programs like skilled nursing at $8,000+ per month, memory care at $2,795+ per month, and hospice care at $2,500+ per month. Their live-in facilities start from as little as $800 per month for independent and assisted living, through to $2,000 per month for a full continuing care retirement community experience.

What is Brookdale Senior Living?

Brookdale Senior Living is a retirement community provider based in Brentwood, Tennessee, offering retirement assistance programs to seniors across 41 states. They offer seven types of primary care:

  • Assisted living allows seniors to live independently but with help at home and with life.
  • Independent living for healthy, independent seniors who only need assurance that help is there if they need it.
  • Memory care is specific to those with dementia and cognitive issues but otherwise healthy.
  • Skilled nursing for frail and ailing seniors with complex health concerns.
  •  Continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) for seniors currently healthy, but who want to ‘age in place’ in a home where that care can be upgraded as needed.
  • Health and hospice care for seniors with chronic health issues, or who are facing the need for end-of-life care.
  • In-home care for those who want to age in place at their own home.

The features and services you will have access to depend on the care option you are looking for. It can range from the basics of in-home services to 24-hour security with Wi-Fi access, clinics, stores, salons, concierge options, senior gyms, game rooms, and beautiful grounds to enjoy. Generally, the more opulent the facility, and the greater your care needs, the higher the costs will be.

How Much Does Brookdale Senior Living Cost?

Brookdale Senior Living has been in business for 4 decades and currently helps over 60,000 seniors live their retirement their way in over 670 locations. They are the largest retirement community providers in the United States as of February 2024.

Brookdale Senior Living also runs many opt-in senior-focused programs that attract an extra cost, ranging from $500- $6,000 a month depending on how customized the program is. 

Prices change annually, and may be different between states, but here are some useful averages:

  • Home health care: $600-$800 a month
  • Independent living: $870- $7,725 a month
  • Assisted living: $800- $7,725 a month
  • CCRCs: $2,000- $7,000 a month
  • Hospice care: $2,500- $5,000 a month
  • Memory care: $2,795 - $10,030 a month
  • Skilled nursing: $8,000- $9,000 a month

From the above cost breakdown, the cost of Brookdale Senior Living’s facilities varies hugely based on the amount of care the senior needs and how ‘fancy’ the facility is.

Many current residents feel that the cost, though high, is worth it for the services and care they receive. Medicare and Medicaid will also cover some of the costs like skilled nursing care, home health care, or hospice care, but it won’t cover other solutions.

If you’re looking for a trusted senior care facility with a long track record to ensure your golden years are what you want them to be, then Brookdale Senior Living should be on your radar.

What help do senior living communities provide?

Most seniors are keen to move on to their golden years with a fresh start, and actively look forward to a new way of living. However, some seniors will fight it every step of the way, wanting to feel tied to their past in a comfortable and familiar environment.

Based on the different needs that seniors have, retirement community providers provide a range of care options to seniors. From in-home care that offers a helping hand with tasks that are getting too much, through to retirement community living where they live independently, and full-time nursing facilities. While it is important to be realistic about the health and cognitive status of the senior, and any limitations they have, there’s a solution to fit every taste.

For those willing to be more versatile, the social aspect of assisted living and retirement care communities is appealing. They can enjoy socialization with peers their age and participate in a vibrant community life. They often offer a higher quality of life and more leisure activities for seniors. There’s just the stigma of ‘being put in a home’ to work through.

Remember, assisted living solutions offer a maintenance-free lifestyle, freeing seniors from the burdens of household chores and money-depleting maintenance and property taxes. This allows them to focus on enjoying their golden years without the stress of managing a home. A home that, in many cases, was sized for their growing family, not an older couple or single/widowed person.

Finally, assisted living facilities often provide a range of amenities and services, such as recreational activities, wellness programs, and on-site dining options. Ultimately, seniors who choose assisted living often do so because it offers a supportive, enriching environment where they can thrive and maintain their independence with dignity.