The purpose of a Cost Comparison Worksheet is to make it easier for the patient and the medical staff at an assisted living facility to create a health-care plan that meets all of their needs. This is especially true if you want to budget your monthly expenses, which will include the services you receive and the activities you participate in on a daily basis.
The assisted living cost comparison worksheet is not your average worksheet; it has several components and each one has its own purpose. The first and most important component is the boxes you can check off to indicate how much you would like to pay for each service. You can include extras such as extra meals, some special occasions, or a special activity you would like to include in your costs.
You will find that when it comes to determining your spending plan, you will have to consider what types of activities you participate in that are usually included in the services you receive. Each box that you check off corresponds to a category of spending and will influence how you actually do your spending. You will want to examine all of the different activities that you want to include in your spending and select only those that fall within the area of your plan.
Take the total cost of your groceries, clothing, and any other items that are part of your health care plan. Add these together. If you are receiving some type of assist with your needs and you still spend more than this amount on your expenses, then you may want to consider reducing how much you are spending on these items. For example, you may wish to consider offering a lower price on your grocery shopping and offering your help with other needs.
Once you have completed your total cost of each category you can apply the totals together. This can help you come up with a monthly amount that is within your budget and is less than the total you checked off for each box.
Also, you can use the worksheet to show how your overall cost is compared to other facilities in your area. You can compare the prices at some of the facility’s charges against what you expect to pay for the same level of care at an assisted living facility. You can also compare your rate with the rates at similar facilities in your local area.
It is possible that you will get a higher cost because the person running the facility is trying to get the highest amount they can for their services or that the assisted living facility may be able to provide you with a reduced rate because they don’t need to upgrade every so often. Even with these factors taken into consideration, the amount of money you are paying can help you determine the quality of care that you are receiving.
You should definitely keep the assisted living cost comparison worksheet handy at all times so that you can look over the other items listed in the worksheet. The more you can understand about the item you are checking off, the more likely you will feel comfortable in choosing the most affordable options available to you.
