Assisted Living In Fairbanks, AK

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Assisted Living in Fairbanks, Alaska: Search Near You, How to Pay, Licensing, Local Resources, and Questions to Ask

Residential assisted living in Fairbanks, Alaska, offers a warm and supportive environment for individuals aged 55 and older, providing tailored assistance with daily activities to enhance independence. Alaska ranks 31st in the nation for its assisted living facilities, emphasizing the state’s dedication to quality senior care. These communities in Fairbanks provide services such as personal care, medication management, meal preparation, housekeeping, and engaging social activities, ensuring a comfortable and vibrant lifestyle for seniors.

Some are available for private pay, and others for Medicaid-paid residents. Assisted Living provides protective oversight, personal services, social care needed because of impaired capacity to live independently, and regular supervision on a 24-hour basis.

About Assisted Living in Fairbanks, AK

Navigating through the necessities of providing adequate physical or cognitive care for an individual, home care management often entails notable challenges and can be associated with substantial costs. In Fairbanks, Alaska, assisted living communities emerge as crucial entities, furnishing a viable alternative to home care by extending specialized services within a nurturing setting.

Diverse Assisted Living Facilities:

Fairbanks hosts a variety of licensed assisted living facilities, each formulated to cater to a wide range of physical and mental health needs:

  • Minimal Care Facilities: Serving individuals who require minimal assistance, these establishments generally offer housing and meal services, ensuring residents preserve a level of independence.
  • Intermediate Care Facilities: Tailored for those who necessitate a more engaged approach to their daily activities, facilities offering intermediate care might extend assistance with activities such as bathing, dressing, and a certain degree of medical oversight.
  • Advanced Care Facilities: For individuals in need of thorough care, these facilities deliver exhaustive services, including assistance with mobility, medication management, and specialized healthcare.

Considerations when looking for Senior housing in Fairbanks, AK

There are 10 assisted living facilities in Fairbanks, Alaska. The estimated populations of Fairbanks is 286,075 with 12% of that number being those ages 65 and older. In Fairbanks, the summers are long, comfortable, and mostly cloudy and the winters are frigid, snowy, and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from -13°F to 73°F and is rarely below -39°F or above 83°F.

Cities Near Fairbanks, AK

  • North Pole, AK: Just about 14 miles southeast of Fairbanks.
  • Ester, AK: Approximately 8 miles southwest of Fairbanks.
  • Fox, AK: Roughly 10 miles northeast of Fairbanks.
  • Nenana, AK: Around 55 miles southwest of Fairbanks.
  • Delta Junction, AK: About 95 miles southeast of Fairbanks

Cost of Assisted Living in Fairbanks, AK

The costs of assisted living can vary widely based on care needs, amenities, and location. Alaska generally has higher assisted living costs compared to the national average, which is around $4,000 per month. Comparing services and costs of different facilities is essential to find a suitable option for your loved ones.

How to Pay For Assisted Living

You want to consider your payment options for assisted living, memory care, and care homes. For these services, Medicare is NOT an option for payment.

The most common payment for these services would be out of pocket Private Pay and assessing a combination of retirement funds, personal savings, and pension payments.

Medicaid can also be an option, be sure to see if you or a loved one qualifies.

Long-Term Care insurance is also a possible option in cases of chronic conditions, be sure to see if you or a loved one qualifies.

For our Veterans and spouses of veterans, be sure to assess Veteran Aid and your eligibility for these benefits.

Medicare – NO:

  • Medicare does NOT pay for Assisted Living.
  • People 65 years and older and individuals with end stage renal disease are eligible for Medicare benefits, no matter their income.
  • Coverage is meant for people in need of short-term care.

Private pay – YES:

  • Many families pay for assisted living with private funds.
  • Private pay can be a combination of retirement funds, personal savings, and pension payments.
  • Family members may contribute funds to pay for assisted living or other senior housing and care.

Medicaid – MAYBE:

  • Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans. Eligible participants include: low-income adults, elderly adults and people with disabilities.
  • Medicaid is administered by state, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by each state and the federal government.
  • Every state has their own individual Medicaid assistance program.
  • National guidelines are in place do decipher how states must spend Medicaid money, but with allowances toward the guidelines.
  • The state determines what levels of care will be covered by Medicaid, who is eligible, and how much the state will reimburse the care community.
  • If you are unsure whether you qualify for Medicaid, you should apply. You may be eligible depending on your household income, family size, age, disability and other factors.

Long-term Care Insurance – MAYBE:

Long term care insurance is a great way to pay for assisted living, and planning ahead is important when considering how to pay for senior housing and care. Nearly 75% of people over the age of 65 will require long-term care and services at some point. Buying into long-term care insurance when a person is in their 50s and 60s is the most common time to do so.

  • Long-term care insurance helps cover the costs of chronic medical conditions.
  • Individuals and couples with the ability to pay into long-term care insurance have the advantage of a head start in allocating funds for senior care.

Veteran Aid and Assistance – MAYBE:

This benefit is available to some military veterans and surviving spouses who live in an assisted living community and those who have in-home care.

  • There are specific guidelines, but a veteran may qualify for as much as $2,050 each month.
  • A veteran with a sick spouse may be eligible for $1,600 per month.
  • If a veteran has passed, their surviving spouse can qualify for $1,300 per month.

Local Hospital and Healthcare Providers in Fairbanks, AK

  • Fairbanks Memorial Hospital
    • Address: 1650 Cowles St, Fairbanks, AK 99701
    • Operating Hours: Open 24 hours
    • Phone: (907) 452-8181

  • Tanana Valley Clinic
    • Address: 1001 Noble St, Fairbanks, AK 99701
    • Operating Hours: Varies; please call for hours
    • Phone: (907) 459-3500

  • Chief Andrew Isaac Health Center (CAIHC)
    • Address: 1408 19th Ave, Fairbanks, AK 99701
    • Operating Hours: Varies; usually opens at 8:00 AM on weekdays
    • Phone: (907) 451-6682

  • Bassett Army Community Hospital
    • Address: 4076 Neeley Rd, Fort Wainwright, AK 99703
    • Operating Hours: Open 24 hours
    • Phone: (907) 361-4000

Questions to Ask

Finding a senior living community can be overwhelming. Here are some tips on things to be observant of:

  • Make sure the facility is clean and well maintained. You can tell a lot about the operation by noting what is clean and maintained. Are doorknobs loose or damaged? Do you see any frayed carpet or trip hazards?
  • Visit during lunch hour to observe what the residents are eating. Ask questions about the nutrition program. Is there diversity in meals, healthy fruits and vegetables served at all meals, drink options?
  • Speak to residents and/or family members to learn their perspective.
  • Ask about staff and resident engagement. Get a feel for how staff interact with residents.
  • Ask about the life enrichment programs. Activities are crucial when it comes to quality of life and play a key role in care for older adults.
  • And finally (along with a plethora of more things to consider), get to know the leadership in the building. If you feel good around the Executive Director, Head Nurse, Lead Activities Director and even the Chef or Janitor, it is a good sign you can trust them with the care of your loved one.

Alaska Commission on Aging The mission of the Alaska Commission on Aging is to ensure the dignity and independence of all older Alaskans, and to assist them to lead useful and meaningful lives through planning, advocacy, education, and interagency cooperation.

State of Alaska – Long Term Care Ombudsman Federal and State law authorize the Ombudsman to identify, investigate and resolve complaints made by, or on behalf of, seniors in long term care facilities. State law also authorizes the Ombudsman to resolve problems relating to the “residential circumstances” of seniors who live in their own homes.

Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership The AFHCP office strives daily to exploit new technologies to enhance access to care and improve clinical outcomes; capitalize on sharing capacity and special expertise to better meet patient care requirements; reduce the cost to members for continuing education by providing locally available high quality educational opportunities; reduce members costs by leveraging the partners’ collective purchasing power; encourage cross agency cooperation at all levels.

Adult Protective Services Use Adult Protective Services to report any incident in which a vulnerable adult suffers harm from abandonment, abuse, exploitation, neglect or self-neglect.

Eldercare Locator This is a great resource to search for specific care in specific counties and cities. This database is a nationwide resource that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources. Connect with services such as meals, home care or transportation, or a caregiver education or respite from caregiving responsibilities. The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency of the U.S. Administration for Community Living.

Medicare provides a search feature to find & compare providers near you, most senior housing and care providers are included on CareAvailability.com. Find & compare plans in your area. Determine if you qualify for premium savings

Medicaid offers information on how to apply for Medicaid, eligibility criteria, links to local state offices, and additional resources

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support, and research. Whether you are living with Alzheimer’s or caring for someone with the disease, information and resources are available.

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Written by The Care Availability Team
Experts in the senior care & retirement living industries

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