Calculate senior care costs by state for in-home care, assisted living, and nursing homes. Includes Medicare and Medicaid coverage guide. Free tool.
A healthy 62-year-old in California wants to understand potential care costs before buying long-term care insurance — wondering if the premium is worth it.
Result: Calculator shows California assisted living averages $6,200/month — potential $744,000 exposure over 10 years justifies $285/month insurance premium clearly.
A 52-year-old in Texas whose 81-year-old mother can no longer live alone needs to compare in-home care versus assisted living costs in her area.
Result: Calculator shows in-home care at 8 hours/day costs $4,800/month — vs assisted living $3,900/month in her Texas county. Decision made with real numbers.
A family in Florida with a parent needing nursing home care wants to understand Medicaid asset limits before spending everything on care.
Result: Guide explains Florida Medicaid $2,000 asset limit and allowed exemptions — family consults an elder law attorney before spending down any assets.
The national median for assisted living is $4,500-$5,000/month. Costs range from $2,500 in rural areas to over $8,000 in expensive cities. Memory care adds 20-30% to standard assisted living costs.
Medicare covers skilled nursing facility care only after a 3-day hospital stay, and only for up to 100 days. After day 20, there is a daily copay. Medicare does NOT cover long-term custodial (non-medical) care.
In-home care provides assistance in your own home (typically $25-$30/hour). Assisted living is a residential facility with meals, personal care, and activities. In-home care is often cheaper for part-time care needs.
Options include long-term care insurance, Medicaid (after spending down assets), veterans benefits (VA Aid & Attendance), reverse mortgage, family contributions, and life insurance accelerated benefits.
A geriatric care manager is a trained professional who assesses care needs, coordinates services, and advocates for seniors. They can help navigate complex care decisions and typically charge $100-$200/hour.
Yes — every FreeFixo tool, including the Free Senior Care Cost Calculator, is 100% free with no paywall, no premium tier, and no usage limits. You do not need to create an account, enter a credit card, or share an email.