Assisted Living in South Carolina
Costs and Local Resources
The Palmetto State is calling. See the benefits of spending your golden years in South Carolina, whether you have your eyes on the Blue Ridge or the Atlantic coastal plain. Summers are bright and balmy while winters are mostly mild, which makes nearly anywhere in the state ideal for year-round outdoor activities and travel. Choose capital-city living in Columbia or small-town charm—you can’t go wrong when you choose South Carolina for your assisted living services search.
Cost of assisted living in South Carolina vs. nearby states
Cost of assisted living in a selection of South Carolina cities
We noticed people seem to be searching for assisted living in these South Carolina cities more frequently than others: Aiken, Columbia, Easley, and Greenwood. We've provided their pricing here.
The cost of assisted living in South Carolina
Seniorly 2021 data shows that the average cost of assisted living in South Carolina is $3,612 per month. The national average monthly cost is $4,057. This means your money will go farther during your senior living search in South Carolina instead of more costly states. 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina
South Carolina hovers around the midrange when it comes to overall cost of living. Behind Wisconsin and Arizona, South Carolina’s cost of living index is 95.9, where the US national average is 104.63. Paired with the lower-than-average monthly cost of assisted living in the state, South Carolina is a good choice for families who want to get more for their senior living budgets.
Financial assistance for assisted living in South Carolina
Medicaid options for South Carolina seniors
According to benefits.gov, to be eligible for South Carolina Medicaid, you must be a resident of the state of South Carolina, 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 18 years of age or younger, or
- Blind, or
- Have a disability or a family member in your household with a disability, or
- Be 65 years of age or older.
South Carolina Medicaid is also called South Carolina Healthy Connections. It’s a program through which State and Federal funds are combined to provide access to medical care for those of low income who are in need.
Several South Carolina Healthy Connections programs are available to help South Carolina seniors access the care options they need. Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMB) and Qualifying Individuals (QI) and Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB) both offer help paying Medicare Part “B” premiums, Individuals In Nursing Facilities And/Or Receiving Home And Community-Based (Waiver) Services sponsors the payment of long-term care for individuals who reside in licensed and certified nursing facilities, and the Medically Indigent Assistance Program (MIAP) sponsors inpatient hospital care for those who qualify. Keep in mind that each of these programs is subject to their specific requirements, availability, and waiting lists.
Non-Medicaid State assistance programs
Outside of the South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid programs, there are a handful of other assistance programs available to seniors and their caregivers in South Carolina. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free, in depth, one-on-one insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, friends, and caregivers; and the South Carolina Caregiver Support Program offers an array of support resources for elder caregivers. For those with Alzheimer's, explore the resources provided by the Alzheimer’s Resource Coordination Center (ARCC) through the South Carolina Department on Aging.
More ways to finance assisted living in South Carolina
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 South Carolina
South Carolina 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 South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs may be able to help you determine if your loved one is eligible for VA benefits.
Find South Carolina Social Security offices where you can understand your benefits and get answers to your questions about claims.