296 Assisted Living Communities in Polk County, Florida

The average cost of assisted living in the county is $2,808 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the county, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 296 Assisted Living Communities in Polk County and several in surrounding areas.

• Assisted living: $2,808
• Nursing home semiprivate room: $8,304
• In-home care: $3,337
• Adult day health services: $1,365

According to Genworth’s 2018 Cost of Care study, assisted living costs in Polk County are lower than the state average of $3,500 and the national average of $4,000. By comparison, assisted living costs in nearby areas, such as Orlando ($3,275) and Tampa ($3,275), are higher, while the price of assisted living in The Villages ($5,031) is nearly double the cost of assisted living in Polk County. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Polk County, so data for Lakeland, a city located in Polk County, was used here. 

The cost of senior care is largely based on the type of care, the location and what’s included in the price. In Polk County the price of nursing home care is nearly three times the price of assisted living. In-home senior care services, such as a home health aide or homemaker, also cost more than assisted living.  When comparing the cost of different senior care options it’s important to consider daily living expenses such as utility payments, food and home maintenance, which are generally included with residential senior care in an assisted living facility.  Cost of Homemaker/Home Health Aide Comparison Chart

• Assisted living: $2,808

• Homemaker services: $3,337

• Home health aide: $3,432

• Adult day health: $1,365

• Nursing home care (semiprivate room): $8,304

Medicaid is a national health insurance program designed to provide limited health care coverage to low-income, low-asset Americans of all ages. It’s jointly funded by the federal and state governments. In Florida, Medicaid is administered through the Florida Department of Children and Families by the Agency for Health Care Administration. 

In order to qualify for free Medicaid coverage, the maximum monthly income for Florida seniors aged 65 or older is $2,313 for an individual and $4,626 for a couple applying together. This includes income from wages, pensions, alimony and investment interest. 

Medicaid also limits the assets seniors can own to $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. Countable assets include on-hand cash and bank account balances, bonds, stocks and all real estate except for the applicant’s principal residence, valued at no more than $585,000. 

It’s also important to note that Florida Medicaid applicants are subject to a 5-year look-back period. Any assets that the applicant sold or gave away during the 5-year period prior to their Medicaid application may be assessed, and the State of Florida may impose a transfer penalty in the form of a period of Medicaid ineligibility. The look-back clause is designed to ensure Medicaid funding is only used in cases where no other funds are available to support an applicant’s care costs. 

Seniors in Florida who qualify for free Medicaid coverage and require care services normally found in a nursing home may be eligible for extra support services through the Florida Statewide Managed Care, Long-Term Care Program, or SMMC LTC. This state-run program aims to reduce or prevent nursing home placement of seniors by funding medically necessary care services in an assisted living setting. 

Eligibility for service through the SMMC LTC program is determined by the Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES), a federally mandated screening program. A designated registered nurse or physician will review the CARES assessment and make a needs-based recommendation for each senior who applies to the program. 

Seniors who are approved for the SMMC LTC program may be assigned a range of services such as: 

• Attendant care
• Homemaker
• Adult day health care
• Skilled and intermittent nursing
• Transportation 
• Medication administration and management
• Speech, respiratory, occupational or physical therapy
• Medical supplies and equipment

To learn more about Florida Medicaid for seniors and the SMMC LTC program, contact the Polk County Elder Helpline at (800) 336-2226 or the Agency for Health Care Administration at (877) 711-3662. 

Optional State Supplementation

Florida seniors aged 65 and older who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and are unable to live independently as a result of mental and/or physical deterioration may be eligible for financial assistance towards the room-and-board portion of assisted living costs under the Florida Optional State Supplementation (OSS) program. 

This SSI benefit provides up to $78.40 for an individual and up to $156.80 for a couple who receive SSI and reside in an assisted living facility. Note that higher OSS payments may be available for seniors who live in a residential mental health facility, and OSS benefits are not available to seniors on Medicaid. 

For more information on the Florida OSS program call ACCESS Florida at (866) 762-2237 or the Polk County Elder Helpline at (800) 336-2226. 

Veterans Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits

Veterans and their survivors who are eligible to receive a regular VA pension and are either housebound or require daily assistance from another person due to a disability may qualify for pension top-up funds through the Aid and Attendance and Housebound program. 

In order to qualify for Housebound benefits, applicants must have a VA disability rating of 100 percent and be largely confined to their home as a result of their disability. 

To qualify for the Aid and Attendance benefits, at least one of the following criteria must be met: 

• Be bedridden

• Have corrected eyesight of 5/200 or worse in both eyes

• Suffer from concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 or fewer degrees

• Require daily assistance from a caregiver to complete any task of daily living such as eating, bathing, dressing or toileting

• Live in a nursing home due to mental or physical impairment

Note that applicants may only receive benefits from one of these two programs, and these pension top-ups are not available to veterans who already receive a VA disability pension. 

To apply for the Aid and Attendance and Housebound Benefits contact the Lakeland Vet Center at (863) 284-0841. 

Assisted Living Bridge Loans

Seniors who are either selling their homes or awaiting benefit approval to fund their move to an assisted living facility may qualify for an assisted living bridge loan through Elderlife Financial. 

Available in terms up to 12 months, funds from these loans can be accessed through a line of credit with interest-only monthly payments. Applications are free and can be completed over the phone, and a response is usually provided by the lender within 24 hours. 

To learn more about assisted living bridge loans call Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Reverse Mortgages

Senior couples aged 62 and older who are homeowners may qualify for a reverse mortgage to generate funds for use towards assisted living costs. This option is only available when one spouse requires an assisted living placement and the other spouse plans to remain in the couple’s home. 

Funds provided through a reverse mortgage can also be used to pay for home maintenance, debt consolidation and daily expenses. 

To learn more about reverse mortgages, contact Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Veterans can contact the Lakeland Veteran Center for information about benefits, including survivors pensions and disability claims. The Lakeland CBOC VA Outpatient Clinic provides primary health care services and referrals to the VA Medical Center in Tampa. There are also three branches of the American Legion in Polk County and two Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts where veterans can socialize and participate in weekly events. 

Lakeland CBOC VA Outpatient Clinic
4237 South Pipkin Road, Lakeland, FL 33811-1442

(863) 701-2470 

Lakeland Veteran Center
1370 Ariana Street, Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 284-0841

Senior Homes has an extensive directory of senior living options, with care and living providers across the United States.