New study ranks states by number of nursing homes, occupancy rates and cost of careSome states charge tens of thousands of dollars more for care than others
A new study has revealed the top ten states for accessing senior care.
Florida is widely known as the retirement capital of America, but it doesn’t even make the top ten in surprising new research from hospital bed maker SonderCare.
The top three spots are Iowa, Oklahoma and Missouri.
The study evaluated states on the number of nursing homes per 100,000 residents, occupancy rates, cost and deficiencies, which are defined as problems that can affect the health and safety of residents.
SonderCare CEO Kyle Sobko said, “This data provides a clear view of which states currently offer the best access to senior care and describes the factors that contribute to that.”
Iowa tops list of best places to access senior care Rural Southern and Great Plains fill top ten in SonderCare study
Rural Southern and Great Plains states like Iowa made up the majority of the study’s top ten.
At the top of the list, with a score of 70.67 out of 100, is Iowa.
The state has 412 nursing homes and 112 respite facilities for every 100,000 residents.
A private room in a nursing home costs just $7,452 per month on average.
Iowa is closely followed by Oklahoma with a score of 66.06 and Missouri with 63.34.
The rest of the top ten is filled by Louisiana (59.95), South Dakota (58.35), Kansas (57.02), Montana (56.67), North Carolina (53.49), Wisconsin (53 .46) and Nebraska (53.07).
Meanwhile, in last place was California with a rating of just 18.61.
The state’s poor rating is due to the high cost of a room – more than $12,000 a month for a private room – and the high number of deficiencies in each home.
Also in the bottom five are Alaska, Connecticut, West Virginia and Hawaii.
Sobko said, “The most surprising finding of this study is that Alaska is overwhelmingly ranked as the most expensive state for senior care, both semi-private and private.”
“The cost of a room in a private nursing home in Alaska is $31,512 a month, which is more than $16,300 more than the second most expensive state, Connecticut.”
Missouri came in third for cheap rooms and high-quality care Oklahoma came in second behind Iowa
Florida, meanwhile, ranked No. 41 with a score of 26.85
And while it didn’t make the top ten, it’s known as the retirement capital of the country for a reason.
It has a low tax burden, with no estate, inheritance or income taxes for retired Americans. Florida also has the lowest poverty rate among people 65 and older in the United States.
In addition to financial factors, it ranks high for quality of life, with many volunteer activities for adults, theater companies, golf courses and country clubs.
Colorado, Virginia and Delaware offer similar taxpayer-friendly terms, with no estate or inheritance taxes for the elderly.
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