Independent living communities provide many benefits for seniors. All-inclusive pricing makes the living arrangement even more convenient. With predictable pricing that’s easy to factor into your budget, all-inclusive independent living is a great choice for seniors who want to enjoy the amenities and services of the community without encountering additional fees.

All-inclusive pricing also gives seniors more freedom to enjoy their lives and take advantage of everything their assisted living community has to offer, from housekeeping to recreational activities and transportation.

Benefits of All-Inclusive Pricing

Traditional pricing, sometimes called a la carte pricing, for independent living communities usually involves a lower monthly cost that covers rent, along with additional fees for each service needed. For example, daily meals come with their own fee, transportation with another fee, and assistance getting dressed or bathing comes with yet another added cost. Each of these can vary quite a bit. Some of them are flat fees while others are hourly. This can lead to confusion, unpredictable independent living costs, and even financial strain.

There are situations in which traditional pricing can be advantageous. For seniors that live very independently and aren’t in need of many additional services, a la carte pricing may be less expensive than all-inclusive pricing since you only pay for what you need. However, if there comes a time when those additional services are needed, the cost for independent living will rise suddenly and dramatically.

All-inclusive pricing, on the other hand, involves one higher fee that covers many different services for seniors. Regardless of the services needed, the price does not increase. As seniors’ needs change, the all-inclusive pricing stays the same.

Some other benefits of choosing an all-inclusive pricing model for an independent living community include:

• Predictable: All-inclusive pricing is predictable and simple to work into your budget. Unlike a traditional or a la carte pricing structure, you won’t encounter sudden changes in price.
• More Opportunities: There are more opportunities open to you since activities don’t come with additional fees in an all-inclusive pricing model. You’re free to enjoy any activity or service offered by the independent living community without worrying about the price.
• Care Is Given When Needed: With a traditional or a la carte pricing structure, it’s necessary to contact the person in charge of paying for independent living costs (often a family member) to confirm that it’s okay to begin the service and charge the corresponding fee. However, in an all-inclusive pricing model, it’s not necessary to contact anyone or obtain additional payments.
• No Delay in Service: If and when a service is needed, it will be provided as it is already covered under the cost of all-inclusive care.
• Ideal for Those Who Need or Will Need a Higher Level of Assistance: For seniors who need a little more assistance or even some medical care, a la carte fees can quickly add up and become extremely expensive. With all-inclusive independent living, seniors can rest assured that the price of care will not increase, even if their needs change.

What Is Included?

It’s important to note that not every independent living community that offers an all-inclusive pricing model will include the same amenities and services. Therefore, be sure to research all potential options to find out which all-inclusive plan is best for you.

The services that are most commonly included in an all-inclusive independent living community are:

• Rent: You’ll typically have an apartment to yourself in an independent living community.
• Utilities: The utility costs associated with your apartment or living area are usually included in an all-inclusive pricing model.
• Meals: Most all-inclusive models cover lunch and dinner, but some may cover breakfast as well.
• Housekeeping: A community employee will come by your apartment once every week or two to take care of light housekeeping. This helps keep your living space clean and tidy.
• Laundry: In most all-inclusive independent living communities, laundry is done on a weekly basis or access is provided to a washer and dryer so seniors can do their laundry themselves.
• Personal Care: Personal care usually refers to help with bathing, dressing, eating, and completing other daily activities. Some kinds of personal care are included in all-inclusive packages. However, services such as medication management and other forms of healthcare typically require a higher tier package.
• Recreational Activities: Most independent living communities have schedules full of entertaining and fun activities to do throughout the day. An all-inclusive package covers your participation in all of these great recreational activities.
• Transportation: All-inclusive models often include transportation to and from appointments and other events.

Main Takeaways

When you’re looking into independent living, you’ll find that most communities offer either a la carte pricing or all-inclusive pricing. Although a la carte or traditional pricing can be less expensive for seniors who don’t require many services, it comes with many disadvantages — especially at times when additional assistance is needed.

Conversely, all-inclusive pricing covers a large range of services for one flat rate each month. It’s predictable, easy to factor into your budget, and provides plenty of services and fun opportunities for seniors to enjoy as they live out their golden years.