Shelley has been in her present community for three years. The director told us the facility would increase their price by a whopping 53% as of August 1. The care would remain the same.
I beg your pardon? You are increasing thousands of dollars, but the care doesn't change?
We gave the required 30 day notice. However, the facility says we must pay 13 days into the next month because we didn't give a 30 day notice. They gave us a price increase on July 10, and we gave notice on July 13. She moves July 31. The 13 days in August that makes up the 30 days will cost thousands of dollars. They didn't give us a 30 day notice of a price increase.
Yep. That's right.
We found a new place, and it is up-to-date, clean, and less expensive than our old price that we are paying.
However, I hate to move her. Transition is difficult for dementia patients. More often than not, the move hastens decline.
We have no choice. The current facility is too expensive and doesn't offer any different care than what she receives.
Her current place leaves her in a chair all day to stare at the walls, but she has several aids that I like a lot, and they love Shelley.
The new place will have her interacting with people, and this is better.
I have a few suggestions for you if you are looking for a facility.
1. Negotiate the price. It's like buying a car. You can usually obtain a lower monthly price.
2. Negotiate the move in fee. Most places require an upfront fee. This can also be negotiated.
3. Read the contract before you sign it!
4. If the agreement doesn't say the facility will give you a 30 day notice of a price increase, write it into the agreement.
Many of these facilities care more about the bottom line than they do for people.
