Assisted living in Delaware provides residential community living combined with services designed to support the needs of adults 55+ who may require help with personal care tasks, mobility, and health monitoring. The median cost of assisted living is about $5,800 per month in Delaware, which comes out to about $69,600 per year, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data.
In Delaware, assisted living is a more affordable senior living option than memory care or nursing homes. And while it’s more expensive than independent living communities, assisted living offers personal care to residents.
Despite Delaware’s small size, it offers a large variety of outdoor and historical attractions. With its proximity to major Eastern cities such as Philadelphia and Washington D.C., assisted living residents in Delaware enjoy access to vibrant communities and opportunities for an active lifestyle.
The reason we gave the meals a 4 is because it is a smaller facility, their menu is not that big but the quality of food is above average. There are activities everyday but some days have more than others....
The building is old but kept up well. It has large windows with lots of light. One of the selling points for my Mom. But the windows are old and leaky. A contractor has measured them and we are told they are...
We are so grateful to have found this fine place for our family member. Every step of the way there was great info, consistent support, and for every question a clear and readily available answer. After 6...
The building is old but kept up well. It has large windows with lots of light. One of the selling points for my Mom. But the windows are old and leaky. A contractor has measured them and we are told they are...
We have been overall happy with the Traditions. I think they could do a little better to have more interaction with the residents. However, we would recommend this community to other families based on the...
It took a couple weeks for a transition with medications and plan of care. Once hubby settled in he likes the place very much staff is friendly the medical staff and text take good care of him food is good...
The family is very happy with Millcroft Living thus far. My mother-in-law is doing well there. Staff has been competent and friendly. Millcroft administration made her transition go smoothly.
Everyone is super friendly. Like that independent & assisted living is mixed, not separated. There is not enough community space for bingo, crafts, cards, etc. there is no large community room.
Paramount offered us compassionate care in my dad’s final weeks while on hospice care. We had some rocky situations which were dealt with quickly and favorably by the administration. While response time was...
The building is old but kept up well. It has large windows with lots of light. One of the selling points for my Mom. But the windows are old and leaky. A contractor has measured them and we are told they are...
The family is very happy with Millcroft Living thus far. My mother-in-law is doing well there. Staff has been competent and friendly. Millcroft administration made her transition go smoothly.
Our loved one says the meat is tough as well as the carrots, they are kind of disappointed with the quality. Our loved one only plays bingo but does enjoy the happy hours. Based on the experience we have had...
Unfortunately, my mother did not get to experience the full benefits that Peregrine had to offer. Her condition rapidly deteriorated from Level 1 to Level 5, and then beyond to a point, the staff could not...
The staff are advocates for your family. The building size is very helpful to create some distance for residents and walking if they need it. Very compassionate of the behaviors that come with dementia. I...
My husband stayed for 14 days. I was nervous about leaving him at first but the staff made him feel extremely comfortable. I had family members visit him when I was away and each one stated that he was in...
Delaware’s median assisted living prices range from about $4,500 to $8,700 per month, which is around $1,200 higher than the national median, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data. This monthly cost range is based on what referred families actually paid at our partnering Delaware assisted living facilities. However, these costs are comparable to the median prices of assisted living at our partner communities in the larger region. For example, in Philadelphia, the average price of a one-bedroom unit in an assisted living community is $6,000 and in Washington D.C., it’s close to $8,000 each month.[01]
The cost of assisted living fluctuates based on a number of factors including location, services and amenities, and the specific care needs of an individual. Communities located in areas with a high cost of living tend to be more expensive. Luxury amenities, specialized services, and programming such as physical therapy or on-site educational classes can elevate monthly costs.
Room and board at assisted living communities is typically paid for out of pocket. However, Medicare, Medicaid, or veteran’s benefits and private insurance policies may help seniors offset the care costs associated with assisted living.
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There are numerous ways to pay for assisted living in Delaware. It’s common for families to blend a variety of payment methods to pay for assisted living. Keep in mind that early planning often provides a wider range of payment options. The following section has information on several resources including private pay, public and private insurance, and veteran’s benefits. For an overview, visit our complete guide to paying for long-term care.
Private pay is the use of personal funds to pay for assisted living costs. Examples of personal funds include money from a savings account, pension payments, investments, or retirement accounts. Most families use a combination of personal funds to pay for assisted living. The options below are the most common among the seniors and families we refer to assisted living.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides pensions and other benefits to eligible senior veterans and their surviving spouses. These benefits can help pay for assisted living costs and long-term care by providing monthly income.
Determining eligibility and the application process for benefits is complicated and time consuming. Veterans are encouraged to utilize benefits counseling services through veterans service organizations (VSOs), such as local chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and the American Legion. At these VSOs, experienced veteran service officers act as advisors and advocates to veterans or spouses who need support accessing federal VA benefits.
Medicaid is health insurance designed for low-income individuals and families, co-funded by the federal and state governments. Individual states create their own programs within federal guidelines, and determine the scope of services offered and who is eligible. Medicaid in Delaware is simply called Delaware Medicaid. Coverage for eligible seniors includes:
The Diamond State Health Plan Plus (DSHP-Plus) in Delaware is a managed care program intended to help seniors with low-incomes or disabilities pay for long- term care in their community.[03] This may include alternatives to institutional care facilities such as assisted living communities. The program covers services which may include:
Delaware residents must meet income and medical qualifications set by the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance to be eligible for Medicaid in Delaware.
Medicare is federal health insurance for people 65 or older. Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of room and board for assisted living communities in Delaware. However, it can be used to cover medically necessary medical services in an assisted living community, as directed by a doctor.
In Delaware, Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Programs can help eligible seniors pay for their Medicare Part A and B premiums and deductibles. The Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau provides free counseling services to help people with Medicare to better understand their healthcare options. Eligible seniors can receive assistance paying for prescription medications through the Delaware Prescription Assistance Program.
Delaware’s long-term care ombudsman program investigates and works to resolve complaints on behalf of seniors who live in or receive long-term care services in their community. If you or your loved one encounter any issues or have questions, you can reach out to the ombudsman.
Social Security Administration offices in Delaware are another resource for finding answers to long-term care questions. They can help you apply for benefits or Medicare help with prescription drug plan costs at the local office. You may be able to receive some support online, as well.
Assisted living facilities in Delaware are required to be licensed by the state’s Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ). The division conducts annual inspections of facilities and also responds to complaints by conducting investigations as necessary. The division’s mission is to protect Delaware citizens in long term-care health settings by enforcing compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.
Inspections create a system of accountability for assisted living facilities and aim to ensure they adhere to regulations that address the following categories.[02]
The division’s detailed assisted living facility regulations along with a list of currently licensed assisted living facilities in Delaware are available on its website.
The Division of Health Care Quality’s website also has completed annual inspection and complaint investigation reports, which they call surveys, for families to review before choosing an assisted living facility. Be aware that many of the facility surveys on the site are not current. It is unclear however if the data has not been updated or if the inspections have not been performed.
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We developed a system to rate each state on how easy – or difficult – it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and compiled tips to help you in your search.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Delaware is moderate. Key findings that informed this rating include:[04]
We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
A Place for Mom. (2022). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
State of Delaware. (2022, July 12). 3225 Assisted Living Facilities. Division of Health Care Quality.
Delaware Health and Social Services. Delaware Quality Management Strategy Delaware.gov.
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. Licensing and certification section. Delaware.gov.
Overview of assisted living in DE
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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