6 Assisted Living Communities in Bedford, Texas

The average cost of assisted living in the city is $4,350 a month. This guide is a starting point covering the cost of assisted living care in the city, as well as financing options to pay for it. You’ll find in-depth information on 6 Assisted Living Communities in Bedford and several in surrounding areas. The Cost of Senior Care in Bedford, TX

• Assisted Living: $4,350
• Nursing Home Care: $5,064
• In-home Care: $4,004
• Adult Day Health Services: $1,408

At an average monthly cost of $4,350, assisted living in Bedford is more expensive than the state ($3,795) and national ($4,000) averages. Costs in neighboring cities, such as Tyler ($3,800), Waco ($3,695) and Sherman ($3,694), are lower. 

Statewide, assisted living prices in Texas start at $2,250 in El Paso and go as high as $5,190 in Austin, with prices largely reflecting the cost of living in each area. 

Note: Senior care cost data wasn’t available for Bedford, so data for the closest city, Dallas, was used. 

Average monthly senior care costs in Bedford start at $1,408 for adult day health services which provide nonmedical care in a communal setting on weekdays only. In most cases, seniors who need a day health program also require in-home care at a cost of $4,004 for a homemaker and $4,040 for a home health aide.  Residential care options include assisted living, which averages $4,350 per month and includes private or semiprivate accommodation, meals and access to recreational amenities. Nursing home care includes 24/7 medical care in a state-licensed facility and costs $5,064 for a semiprivate room. 

 

Established in 1965 and jointly funded by federal and state governments, Medicaid provides limited health coverage to needy children, adults with disabilities and seniors. Every state-administered Medicaid plan must include certain mandatory benefits, such as hospital services, primary physician care, home care and nursing facility services. States may choose to offer additional Medicaid benefits that can include prescription drug coverage, rehabilitation therapies, personal care and adult day health programs. 

In Texas, county-specific managed care organizations deliver  most Medicaid services. To qualify for long-term coverage with access to home and community-based services, seniors must:

• Be permanent Texas residents
• Be a U.S. citizen or have a qualifying immigration status
• Require at least 30 days of continuous care at the level normally provided in a nursing facility, as verified by a licensed physician
• Have a monthly income of $2,313 or less or have a joint monthly income of $4,626 or less when applying with a spouse
• Own up to $2,000 in countable assets or up to $3,000 in joint countable assets when applying with a spouse

Countable assets include all cash and bank account balances, stocks and bonds, and investment properties. Exempt assets include one personal vehicle, a life insurance policy worth $1,500 or less, a prepaid burial contract and a home owned and occupied by the applicant worth up to $585,000. 

Community Spouse Income and Asset Exemptions

When only one spouse in a married couple needs long-term Medicaid coverage, the community spouse’s income is disregarded. If the community spouse is financially dependent on the Medicaid applicant, the applicant can transfer up to $3,160.50 per month from their income to the community spouse to cover shelter costs. 

The community spouse is also entitled to all joint non-countable assets, such as an owner-occupied home, and half of the couple’s joint assets up to a $126,420 maximum. 

Income Cap and Qualified Income Trust

Texas is a Medicaid income-cap state, so residents can’t spend down their excess income on medical costs to achieve Medicaid eligibility. 

Texas Medicaid rules do permit the use of a Qualified Income Trust by seniors who are ineligible due to excess income. This irrevocable legal agreement lets seniors divert income that exceeds the $2,313 monthly limit into a trust. The State must be named the beneficiary of the QIT, and upon death, the State receives the funds in the QIT to cover Medicaid costs paid on behalf of the trustee. Note that a QIT can only be used for excess income, not excess assets. 

STAR+PLUS Medicaid Managed Care Program

Medicaid-enrolled seniors who meet the clinical requirements for nursing home placement may be eligible for STAR+PLUS, a managed care program that prevents nursing home placement by funding home and community-based services. These services are assigned based on medical need, may be delivered in an assisted living setting and can include:

• Adult day activity and health services
• Personal care
• An emergency response system
• Medical supplies and mobility equipment
• Minor home adaptations to improve safety and accessibility
• Skilled and intermittent nursing care
• Occupational, physical and speech-language therapy
• Respite care
• Adaptive devices
• Home-delivered meals

Seniors who wish to move from a nursing facility into an assisted living setting may also receive transitional assistance. Some STAR+PLUS plans also offer value-added services, such as extended dental and vision benefits. 

In Tarrant County, STAR+PLUS participants can choose to receive services through either the Superior HealthPlan or the UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Upon acceptance into STAR+PLUS, seniors get an information packet describing the available managed care options. Participants must select a plan, or else one is automatically assigned. 

For more information on Texas Medicaid, QITs and the STAR+PLUS program, contact Texas Health and Human Services at (888) 337-6377 or the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Tarrant County at (855) 937-2372. 

Elderlife Financial Reverse Mortgage

Elderlife’s reverse mortgage is a highly regulated financial product that lets owners age 62 and older leverage the equity in their home without having to sell or move out. 

With a reverse mortgage, the lender provides the homeowners with either a lump sum of money, a line of credit or monthly payments that are nontaxable. The lender places a lien on the house and charges compound interest on the amount the homeowners borrow. The loan balance plus all interest is payable when both homeowners move out or sell the home. 

To qualify for a reverse mortgage, at least one of the owners must remain in the home, making this type of loan an option when just one spouse requires assisted living care. 

The application process can take a number of months and involves government-mandated financial counseling. For more information, call Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Elderlife Assisted Living Bridge Loan

Elderlife Financial also offers unsecured 12-month open loans that seniors can use to bridge the financing gap that may occur when selling a home to move into assisted living. 

Approval is based on the credit rating of the applicant or applicants, and loan applications can be processed over the phone for free in about 20 minutes or less. If approved, funds are often available within 24 hours. 

Interest is charged on the amount borrowed, and monthly payments are interest-only. Borrowers can pay off the balance at any time without penalty. 

For more information, contact Elderlife Financial at (888) 228-4500. 

Outpatient VA health care services, including primary, mental health and chronic disease management care, are available at the Grand Prairie VA Clinic, a CBOC affiliated with the VA North Texas Health Care System.

Veterans and survivors can learn about VA benefits, submit claims and applications and get free help with a benefit appeal at the Tarrant County Veterans Services Office.

There is also an active American Legion post where vets can connect with their peers, participate in communal meals and get help with VA benefits claims.

Grand Prairie VA Clinic
2737 Sherman St., Grand Prairie, TX 75051-1027
(214) 857-3450

Tarrant County Veterans Services Office
1200 Circle Dr., Suite 300, Fort Worth, TX 76119
(817) 531-5645

Sixty and Better is a nonprofit agency that provides Tarrant County seniors with low-cost communal meals, free fall prevention and chronic disease management programs, and transportation to medical appointments. The Agency also operates a number of Benefits Enrollment Centers throughout the county where needy seniors can apply for subsidized medical care, prescription medications and food.  Sixty and Better
1400 Circle Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76119
(817) 413-4949

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