Assisted Living in Pennsylvania
Costs and Local Resources
See what makes the Keystone State a great option for settling into your sunset years when you explore assisted living options in Pennsylvania. Snow-capped scenery makes the state’s mountainous interior a real wonderland during the winter months, but four distinct seasons make Pennsylvania a treat year-round. Whether you find yourself longing for a cozy assisted living option near the Appalachian or Pocono Mountains or you’re looking for luxury, hotel-like accommodations in a major metropolitan area, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
Cost of assisted living in Pennsylvania vs. nearby states
Cost of assisted living in a selection of Pennsylvania cities
We noticed people seem to be searching for assisted living in these Pennsylvania cities more frequently than others: Altoona, Bethlehem, Pittsburgh, and York. We've provided their pricing here.
The cost of assisted living in Pennsylvania
Seniorly 2021 data shows that the average cost of assisted living in Pennsylvania is $3,672 per month. The national average monthly cost is $4,057. The average Pennsylvania cost is a few hundred dollars less than the national average. Keep in mind as you start your senior living search that some areas (particularly those where the cost of living is high) will be more expensive than others. Explore our assisted living listings to start comparing properties, or get in touch with one of our local advisors to get expert advice on what you can afford in the areas in which you’re interested.
Assisted living communities can provide the peace of mind that comes from not worrying about home maintenance, chores, or errands, as well as help with personal care like grooming, eating, and other activities of daily living seniors might have trouble with. However, if your loved one requires nursing care, or has diagnosed Alzheimer's or dementia that has progressed to a certain point, they might need a skilled nursing facility/home health care, or memory care community instead. These types of care providers (and for that matter, in-home care) might cost more in Pennsylvania than assisted living facilities, but the important thing is that your loved one’s needs are cared for in order to provide them with the best quality of life.
If your loved one currently lives in a retirement community, ask whether it is a Continuing Care Retirement Community: these senior living properties are generally designed for residents to age in place. Seniors can get the different levels of care they need, from independent living to memory care, without having to move to a different community altogether.
Overall cost of living in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has a cost of living in line with the national average. Behind Colorado and Montanna out west, Pennsylvania’s cost of living index is 101.7, where the US national average is 104.63. This is largely due to significantly higher housing costs than the rest of the country.
Financial assistance for assisted living in Pennsylvania
Medicaid options for Pennsylvania seniors
According to benefits.gov, to be eligible for Pennsylvania Medicaid, you must be a resident of the state of Pennsylvania, a U.S. national, citizen, permanent resident, or legal alien, in need of health care/insurance assistance, whose financial situation would be characterized as low income or very low income. You must also be one of the following:
- Pregnant, or
- Be responsible for a child 17 years of age or younger, or
- Have a disability or a family member in your household with a disability.
Pennsylvania's Medicaid health care program is called Medical Assistance (MA). MA pays for medical care for children and adults with limited income and resources. It is supported by Federal and State funding and designed to help a wide variety of families and individuals who need assistance.
There are some MA-related programs that expand and enhance coverage for qualified enrollees, including the Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) Program, which assists families with at least one household MA recipient access and afford private insurance through a family member’s employer.
Non-Medicaid State assistance programs
There are a few non-Medicaid assistance programs in Pennsylvania, many of which are facilitated by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. There are two prescription assistance programs, PACE and PACENET, designed to provide cost savings on prescriptions based on need. The Department of Aging also offers several options for senior housing assistance, including the Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO) program and the Shared Housing and Resource Exchange (SHARE) program. For more ways to find assisted living help, check the “Free assisted living resources in Pennsylvania” section below.
More ways to finance assisted living in Pennsylvania
There are several options available to finance assisted living for yourself or a loved one. Long-term care can be financed several ways:
- Life insurance - Some life insurance policies have a provision for long-term care benefits.
- Long-term care insurance - This type of insurance is intended to cover long-term health care needs by covering costs for assisted living or long-term care communities.
- Pensions, 401K, and IRA - If you have a pension, 401k or an IRA to fall back upon this would be a great benefit in paying for assisted living costs.
- Real Estate - Having a home is a great source of income. When it is time to move into assisted living the sale proceeds from your home can cover the costs.
- Veteran’s benefits - While the VA will not directly cover the costs of assisted living, you can obtain help from the VA under the Veterans Aid & Attendance benefits. The Aid & Attendance benefits helps eligible veterans and their surviving spouses to pay for assistance for assistance of daily living (ADLs) activities. Aid & Attendance benefits are often referred to by other names such as “improved pension,” “VA assisted living benefit,” or “veterans elder care benefits.”
Free assisted living resources in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania residents can explore state resources that can help answer your questions about eligibility for certain types of benefits and how they might apply to assisted living.
Find your local Area Agency on Aging. There are multiple agencies per state, enter your ZIP code or city to find the one closest to you.
The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs may be able to help you determine if your loved one is eligible for VA benefits.
Find Pennsylvania Social Security offices where you can understand your benefits and get answers to your questions about claims.