Nursing home and assisted living costs each rose by an average of 3.3% over the last year, according to the 2009 MetLife Market Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs.
The average cost of a private room in a skilled nursing facility expanded to $219 per day from $212 a day in 2008. Semi-private room costs increased by 3.7% to $191 per day. The monthly cost of assisted living nationally rose to $3,131 from $3,031 in 2008. The average hourly cost of an in-home caregiver climbed by 5% to $21 per hour, up from $20 the previous year.
Once again, Alaska topped the list of states for the most expensive nursing home care. The average daily rate in that state is $584. Louisiana received the opposite distinction. Its average nursing home rate totaled just $132 per day—the lowest in the country, according to the MetLife report.
