The 10 Best Nursing Homes in Columbus, GA for 2024 | Caring.com (2024)

Columbus is a large city of nearly200,000 people, 13% of whom are aged 65 and over. It’s served by two major health care systems, Valley Healthcare SystemandPiedmont Healthcare, which provide primary health care, a broad range of specialties and referrals services for seniors. Compared to the state and nation as a whole, it’s an affordable cityfor health services, and monthly nursing home fees are relatively economical at $6,494.

Nursing homes offer 24-hour care and supervision in an institutional setting. They’re often a good solution for those who don’t need to be in a hospital but need a greater degree of care than they can receive at home. This type of care is the most expensive option in Columbus, costing several thousand dollars per month more than other options. For many Columbus residents, home careandassisted livingprovide a more appropriate level of care at a lower monthly rate.

This guide gives an in-depth look at the cost of nursing home care in Columbus and how it compares to other senior care options. It also gives an overview of some community programs available to help seniors delay or avoid nursing home placement or obtain financial assistance for nursing home care.

In Columbus, nursing homes generally charge $6,494 for semiprivate rooms and $6,798 for private rooms.

In Columbus, seniors pay $6,494 per month, on average, for semiprivate accommodations in nursing home facilities, making it among the more affordable cities in the state for this level of care. Statewide, care costs are over $200 per month higher, at $6,722. Nationally, nursing home fees average $7,756 per month for semiprivate rooms.

Across Georgia, nursing home fees vary considerably. Columbus is among the more affordable options, along with Athens, where seniors pay $6,266 per month and Savannah, where fees average $6,540. In the capital city of Atlanta, fees exceed the statewide average, at $6,950 per month. Valdosta is the most expensive city in Georgia, at $7,841.

Nursing home care is the most expensive senior care option in Columbus, with semiprivate rooms costing $6,494 monthly and private rooms coming in several hundred dollars higher, at $6,798. For some seniors who need limited skilled nursing services, home health care may be a more economical option, at $3,813 per month. Home care, which provides services such as personal care, housekeeping and meal preparation, is priced the same as home health care. Assisted living includes these services in a residential community and is a little cheaper, at $3,650 per month. Adult day health care is the most affordable option, at $1,300 per month.

Many seniors and their families use some form of financial assistance to help them pay for nursing care. The main options available are Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits. These programs can be complicated, especially when it comes to benefit terms. Below, we give a brief overview of how these programs may be used towards paying for skilled nursing care.

• Medicare: Medicare will typically cover all skilled nursing costs for the first 20 days of one’s stay in a nursing home and a portion of the costs until day 100. After 100 days in a skilled nursing facility, Medicare will not cover any part of the cost of the stay. While this is adequate when short-term care is needed, those in need of long-term care will need to either pay out-of-pocket or use another source of financial assistance.
• Medicaid: Medicaid covers most of the costs of living in a skilled nursing facility for those who qualify. Care, room, and board are covered with no time limit, but residents may be charged for extras like specially prepared food or cosmetic services. Medicaid eligibility standards are strict and complex, so not all seniors are eligible for Medicaid benefits.
• Veterans Benefits: Veterans receiving a VA pension may also be eligible for the Aid and Attendance benefit administered by the VA. Aid and Attendance is a monthly allowance that beneficiaries may use to pay for their long-term care, including skilled nursing care.

If these options aren’t available to you, check if your loved one has long-term care insurance or contact your Area Agency on Aging to ask about any local financial assistance programs for seniors.

Several publicly funded agencies and local nonprofit organizations serve seniors in Columbus. Some of these agencies provide specialized services in seniors’ homes or assisted living facilities that help them avoid nursing home placement. They also offer information and assistance with accessing public benefits that may cover nursing home care.

Claim your Caring.com listing