If you’re in the ‘sandwich generation,’ the question of how best to care for your aging parent boils down to two options: move them into an assisted living facility or help them remain at home with the right support.
While assisted living offers bundled services, the costs have been rising rapidly. That’s partly due to a lack of available room inventory and higher cost of labor. But it’s also because most are run by massive corporations with sophisticated pricing schemes designed to maximize profitability.
Aging in place, on the other hand, can often be more affordable, while also giving seniors the independence and surroundings they value most. When you add wrap-around services such as part-time caregiving and fitness training that improves the functional strength and mobility of and part-time caregiving, it’s hard to beat the value and outcome of aging in place.
At ElderFIT, we help families every day weigh these decisions. That’s why we built our Assisted Living vs Personal Training Cost Calculator to make the math easier. Let’s walk through the real numbers and what they mean for your family.
Assisted Living: The Rising Costs
According to Genworth’s Cost of Care Survey, the national median monthly cost of assisted living in 2024 is about $6,000 per month. For memory care, that number can exceed $7,500 per month. Prices for assisted living communities are increasing at a pace of nearly 3.7× the rate of inflation, which makes long-term affordability even more difficult for families.
While the monthly price tag may seem all-inclusive, remember that it also includes meals, utilities, maintenance, and amenities. There are nevertheless costs that are outside the monthly fee. If your parent requires bathing or other assistance, many assisted living communities charge more for that.
Nor does assisted living put an emphasis on helping seniors regain strength and mobility – which would help them avoid falls that could send them to the ER. In other words, the all-in-one fee of assisted living can far outpaces the cost of staying in your own home.
Costs of Aging in Place: A Practical Breakdown
Aging in place usually means combining three categories of support:
- Part-time caregiving or home health aides (for light assistance, companionship, or personal care).
- Regular living costs seniors already pay: food, utilities, insurance, home upkeep.
- Fitness and mobility training (like ElderFIT trainers, visiting 2–3× per week).
According to A Place for Mom, the national median hourly rate for in-home care is around $33/hour, with state variations from $24 to $43. Many seniors need just a few hours per day, especially if their children or other family members also provide support.