Cost is the elephant in the room. Many seniors ultimately choose senior care providers based on hourly cost alone – it’s a dangerous gamble. Choosing a lower cost option upfront may actually cost them more long-term. But we all know that because we’ve seen it – especially with clients who discharge home only to return back to the hospital or ER.
Current options in Minnesota cost seniors on average $8,174 per month for a semi-private skilled nursing facility room or $4,957 for homemaker services. Here’s what you might not know: Lifespark clients on average spend $2,500 per month, less than half of what people are spending for homemaking alone, which does little to reduce hospitalizations or spark lives. And for clients using Life Care Management the average cost is $365 per month.
We also know this isn’t an easy conversation to have with your senior clients who already believe the cost of senior care is much too high in this country. We don’t argue with them there but compare the cost of senior care to what the average person spends on doggy day care per month (on average $550) and child care (upwards of $2,000 per month and that’s for one child). Would they choose those providers based on cost alone? Maybe, but the reality is for their beloved pooch and children, they would dig deeper into value.
Speaking of value, when you have the cost conversation with seniors ready to discharge home, we want you to think about these key points because cost isn’t always so black/white. Here’s why we stand behind our cost value for three reasons:
- Honest and transparent conversations. The conversation about cost adjusts for each client depending on initial needs but every client gets the same attention to detail and development of a Life Plan with the ultimate goal of reducing the need for care and protecting their independence. Regardless of whether they are at the $365 level or more, every senior receives guidance from a licensed professional – not just nursing oversight of a caregiver – and that makes a significant difference long-term in both cost and quality of life. 100% service guarantee. It’s not a risk for seniors to try Lifespark as an option – if they aren’t satisfied they get their money back.
- Look beyond hourly charges. Many people focus solely on the hourly charges for services without looking at the total monthly costs. That can be very misleading. And with a model that works to reduce people’s need for care, every ER and hospital visit prevented protects their independence and lowers their costs. Which would you rather have: a service that costs $35 per hour for a monthly cost of $4,957 and increases over time, or a service that costs $37 an hour that works to improve your wellbeing and prevent health crises which then lowers your monthly costs to $2,500 or even just $365 over time? Do the math.
- Measurable outcomes. We provide them for every client we serve. The proof behind our model lies in what we can accomplish for each senior to keep them off the roller coaster and out of the hospital and ER. We’ve proven to not only do that but spark lives, too. Imagine the cost savings for your clients when you discharge them home with an option that will keep them there long-term. Our 2017 results show that we’ve reduced ER visits by 56.8% and hospitalizations by 47.8%.
Cost isn’t always easy but Life Care Management’s value is worth the conversation. Or better yet, just have your clients connect directly with Lifespark. We’ll set up a free Discovery Consultation to help them learn what the Lifespark services, costs, and outcomes can look like for their individual situation.
Call us today to set up a discovery consultation for your senior.
We are curious to hear your perspective, are there any barriers that prevent you from talking about cost? Share any tips you have for starting the cost conversation.