Caregiverlist® Announces Arizona Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index for June 2015

Chicago, Illinois (PRWEB) June 24, 2015

The Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Index reports the updated costs and ratings for nursing homes in the state of Arizona in order to assist seniors looking to plan ahead for their senior care options. Because Medicare does not pay for long-term care, but does pay for short-term stays in a nursing home, the costs and ratings of a local nursing home can assist a senior and their family to plan ahead for the right senior care option. Medicaid for low-income seniors may pay for an ongoing stay in a nursing home, but does have a financial requirement in order to qualify. The June 2015 Caregiverlist® Index reports the average annual cost for an Arizona nursing home is $77,526.00.

Seniors in Arizona looking to plan ahead for senior care options should first understand the daily costs of nursing homes in their area and review the most important factors indicating quality of care. This is because Medicare does not pay for long-term care but does pay for short-term stays in a nursing home, usually as post-hospital stay rehabilitation.

Seniors in the Grand Canyon State needing nursing home care can now view the most recent ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area by using the interactive Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Directory. This month's update of the Arizona's Caregiverlist® Index indicates that the average cost of a nursing home in Arizona is $212.40 per day, or about $6460.00 per month. Of the 151 total Arizona nursing homes, the majority, 124, receive a Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Rating of 3- and 4-stars, with 5-stars being the highest score. Just 8 of the nursing homes rank 1-star, the lowest quality rating. However, keep in mind that new nursing homes also will receive only a 1 star until they have had a chance to be rated. Only 7 of the 151 nursing homes in Arizona receive a 5-star Caregiverlist® Nursing Home Rating.

June 2015, National Averages Weighting for Rating

2 hours, 28 minutes: C.N.A. Hours per Resident per Day 40%
15.7%: Long-stay Residents with Increasing Activities of Daily Living Needs 20%
1.0% Short-term Residents with Pressure Sores (Bed Sores) 20%
Overall Medicare Star-Rating Score 20%

Caregiverlist® Arizona Nursing Home Rating and Cost Index

Total Number of Nursing Homes: 151

Average Cost Varies by Region
Average Cost of Private Room for Arizona: $239.91
Average Cost of Shared Room for Arizona: $184.88
Average Star-Rating: 2.9

Arizona Nursing Home Star-Rating Results
5-Star: 7
4-Star: 61
3-Star: 63
2-Star: 12
1-Star: 8

The Caregiverlist® rating combines 4 criteria to calculate an overall star-rating with a 5-star rating as the highest and a 1-star rating as the lowest score, as rated against the results for the total number of nursing homes.

Arizona seniors and their families must remember that nursing homes have become an extension of a hospital stay and many times Medicare health insurance will authorize a hospital discharge directly to a nursing home for rehabilitation after a major medical event has happened. This means researching the right nursing home ahead of time will ease the transition should a medical emergency occur.

Senior care costs are always a factor when choosing the right senior care option, as many elderly live on a fixed income. The average annual cost of a nursing home in Arizona is $77,526. Low-income seniors in Arizona may qualify for Medicaid, with the financial qualification of no more than $2,000 in assets for individuals and a $3,000 limit for couples. Medicaid will pay for long-term care in a nursing home for as long as the senior qualifies for needing care, even if this means multiple years of care until death. Visit the Caregiverlist® Arizona Medicaid Eligibility Requirements for for more information. Because seniors must private pay for a nursing home if needing care beyond the number of days Medicare will reimburse (usually only up to 100 days), many seniors also explore senior home care and assisted living options. Some assisted living centers also provide nursing home care.

Seniors should review the ratings and costs of nursing homes in their area and then visit the nursing homes which meet their budget availability. Ratings for nursing homes are only a starting point and while the Caregiverlist® Index calculates a custom rating based on the most important criteria for quality, Medicare will only begin auditing the nursing home's submitted information for C.N.A. staffing next year. Right now all of the information for the nursing home ratings is self-reported.

About Caregiverlist®
Caregiverlist.com® is the premier service connecting seniors and professional caregivers with the most reliable senior care options, highest quality ratings and outstanding careers nationwide. Founded by senior care professionals, Caregiverlist® delivers the efficiencies of the internet to senior care companies by providing online job applications, caregiver training, background checks and industry news. Seniors and caregivers can access senior service information "by state," view nursing home costs and star-ratings and learn about all senior care options and quality standards. For more information, please visit http://www.caregiverlist.com.

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