Assisted Living In Michigan

According to the United States Census Bureau, the population of the elderly living in Michigan is growing. One of the reasons why seniors are choosing to retire in the state may be because there is no sales tax on social security retirement, U.S. military pensions, Michigan National Guard pensions, or railroad pensions.

Directory of Assisted Living Facilities in Michigan

As you start your research for a quality assisted living facility in Michigan, knowing the types of services each facility provides and the financial help available to help pay for those care services, is important. The registry below can aid you in your research by providing details and information on more than 750 facilities in the state of Michigan.

Paying For Assisted Living in Michigan

The Cost of Assisted Living in Michigan

The monthly median cost of assisted living in Michigan is $3,850, which is cheaper than the national average of $4,000. According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care Survey, assisted living in Michigan is also less expensive than the median in all neighboring states.

 

While the cost of Assisted Living is fairly consistent throughout the state, Saginaw is the one exception coming in at $1,025 below the state average. Ann Arbor is the most expensive region in the state at $1,050 above the national average of $4,000.

 

While nursing home care is relatively cheap in Michigan when compared to the rest of the nation, it’s still considerably more expensive than assisted living. Other than independent living, which doesn’t provide assistance with activities of daily living, assisted living communities are the cheapest solution for long-term care in the state.

Financial Assistance for Assisted Living in Michigan

Michigan MI Choice Waiver Program

Medicaid will not directly cover the cost of assisted living in Michigan. However, they offer the MI Choice Waiver which covers personal care services to help with tasks such as taking a bath, shaving, getting dressed, and walking. Unlike Medicaid, the waiver only has a certain number of enrollment slots available, so when those are filled, you may be put on a waiting list.

The MI Choice Waiver does not cover room and board expenses. They do, however, offer community transition services for elderly who want to move from an institution to assisted living. The transition services help with security deposits, essential furnishings, and set-up fees or deposits for utility services.

Who Is Eligible?

Residents interested in applying for the MI Choice Waiver need to be financially eligible for Medicaid as well as meet the following qualifications:

• Age 65 or older
• Monthly income for a single resident must not exceed $1,012 (in 2018), and assets must be $2,000 or less
• Monthly income for married residents must not exceed $1,372 (in 2018), and assets must be $2,000 or less
• Meet nursing home level of care but prefer assisted living

If approved for the waiver, a registered nurse and social worker will do an in-home visit with the resident and his or her family and friends. At that time, a service plan based on what the resident wants will be created.

How to Apply

To get more details about the MI Choice Waiver and apply, contact an Area Agency on Aging I&A specialist at (800) 442-1713. If you haven’t already applied for Medicaid, you can get started by calling (855) 275-6424.

More Ways to Finance Assisted Living

Some additional ways to finance assisted living costs include:

• Veterans Benefits: Veterans can take advantage of several different pension programs to help cover the cost of assisted living. For more information, see the article on benefits.va.gov.

• Life Insurance Policies: Even if a spouse or loved one hasn’t died, certain types of life insurance policies can be used to pay for assisted living. More information is available at longtermcare.acl.gov

• Long-Term Care Insurance: Long-term care insurance is a type of insurance policy that pays for long-term care when it becomes necessary, including the cost of assisted living. For more information on the benefits and drawbacks of this financing method, visit longtermcare.acl.gov.

• Reverse Mortgages: Reverse mortgages allow seniors to access the equity from a home that they own, and these funds can be used to pay for assisted living. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development offers a federally insured reverse mortgage program.

Free Assisted Living Resources in Michigan

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in Michigan helps low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Their services include:

• Educating elderly residents on their rights
• Advocating for residents’ on issues related to care services they receive, benefits available to them, long-term care, elder abuse, and their rights
• Helping residents resolve any concerns they may have

Area Agencies on Aging

Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) is a network of hundreds of nonprofit organizations across America that provide federally funded services to adults over 60 in their local areas.

Michigan has many Area Agencies on Aging that offer comprehensive information on various kinds of programs and community supports for seniors.

Veterans Affairs

Veterans and their spouses can get assistance from their local VA offices with transportation, financing, and various other services. Visit or contact a center near you for guidance on the best support options and eligibility for you or your elderly loved one.

Social Security Offices

By reaching out or visiting a Social Security office, you or your elderly loved one can gain a better understanding of social security benefits as well as other types of assistance that can help with assisted living costs.

Assisted Living Laws and Regulations in Michigan

Assisted Living Admission Contract

Prior to admission in an assisted living facility (ALF) in Michigan, an admission contract is required. The contract must include:

• Services the resident will require and the fees for each of those services
• Transportation services, if any, and the fees for those
• The assisted living facilities’ admission, discharge, and refund policies
• The resident’s rights and responsibilities

The contract must be updated every year or when there is a significant change in the resident’s care needs.

Assisted Living Scope of Care

Assisted living facilities in Michigan provide supervised personal care that is specified in the resident’s service plan, guidance assistance, medication management, protection, and supervision assistance.

Assisted Living Medicaid Policy

Michigan’s Medicaid only pays for skilled nursing care or therapy services when it comes to home care in an assisted living facility. However, the doctor must prescribe those services as part of the plan of care. Furthermore, the services must be needed on a temporary basis, which is to cure and rehabilitate.

If you or your elderly loved one needs ongoing services to help with activities of daily living, medication management, and/or other services and nursing care, the MI Choice Waiver is an option to look into.

Assisted Living Requirements

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs takes care of the licensing for assisted living facilities in Michigan. Additionally, they ensure the facilities follow all the regulations. Some of the regulations the ALF is required to follow include:

• Facilities are only allowed to accept residents in need of care that does not extend beyond what the facility provides.
• Employees’ toilet facilities must be separate from the residents’ living quarters.
• ALFs must conduct annual tuberculosis tests for employees and residents, unless they are low-risk facilities.
• Communities are required to keep facility free from insects and vermin.

Medication Management Regulations

The assisted living facility must follow the labeling instructions or orders of the resident’s physician or other licensed health care professional when supervising, giving, or assisting with medication. Residents who are able can take their medication on their own.

Staffing Requirements

At least one person on each shift must be designated as supervisor, and the facility is required to have enough qualified staff on duty to provide care that is consistent with each resident’s service plans. All on-duty staff must be fully dressed, on-site, and awake for the entire shift.

Staff Training Requirements

Administrators of assisted living facilities in Michigan are required to meet all of these qualifications:

• Must be 18 years of age or older
• Have training, education, and/or experience working with the facility’s resident population
• Be capable of assuring program planning, development, and execution of services to residents consistent with the facility’s program statement, and as per the residents’ service plans and agreements

Direct care staff who supervise and/or administer medications must receive training on proper handling and administration of medications.

Background Checks for Assisted Living

All employees must have a criminal background and fingerprint check. Assisted living facilities in Michigan are not allowed to hire, enter into a contract with, or grant privileges to anyone who will have direct access to residents if that person has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor.

Requirements for Reporting Abuse

Abuse of any kind, or even suspicion of abuse, should be reported to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Adult Protective Services. To report the abuse, call (855) 444-3911 at any time. 24 hours after you make your report, Adult Protective Services will begin an investigation.

If you feel the assisted living facility is in violation of the governing act or rules, you can file an anonymous complaint with the Bureau of Community and Health Systems. There are three ways to send your complaint: Using the online form, print and complete a paper form and mail it to the address listed on the website, or call (866) 856-0126.

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Michigan COVID-19 Rules for Assisted Living Facilities

Note: The following information was compiled and most recently updated on 2/8/22. Since COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving crisis, be sure to contact your assisted living facility or local Area Agency on Aging for the most up-to-date information.

COVID-19 Rules in Michigan
Are loved ones allowed to visit residents in their assisted living community?	Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are residents required to quarantine after their loved ones visit?	No
Are loved ones required to wear masks when visiting residents?	Yes
Are Hairdressers and other non-medical contractors allowed in assisted living communities?	Yes
Are visitors screened for elevated temperatures before entering the assisted living community?	Yes
Are residents allowed to leave the assisted living community for non-medical reasons?	Yes
Are residents who leave required to quarantine when they get back to the assisted living community?	No (Conditions Apply)
Are assisted living communities required to cancel all group outings?	No
Are assisted living communities allowed to host group activities within the community?	Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are staff members regularly checked for elevated temperatures?	Yes
Are staff members regularly tested for COVID-19?	Yes (Conditions Apply)
Are residents regularly screened for COVID-19 symptoms?	Yes
Are residents regularly checked for elevated temperatures?	Yes
Are residents regularly tested for COVID-19?	Yes (Conditions Apply)

 

Sources: www.michigan.gov www.cms.gov