Nebraska assisted living facilities and personal care communities

Nebraska Assisted Living Centers

Under Nebraska law, an assisted living home is defined as an establishment, which provides food, shelter and personal care exceeding 24 hours to a residential population of four or more persons with the inability to live independently due to illness, disability or age. Other terms for assisted living in the state of Nebraska may include the following: personal care homes, residential care homes, adult aggregate homes / communities, and group homes.

There are currently 278 assisted living communities operating in Nebraska.

Assisted Living Homes in Nebraska – Cost Comparison

City	Monthly Minimum	Monthly Maximum	Monthly Median
Lincoln	$2,044	$5,745	$4,200
Omaha	$2,500	$5,650	$3,910

The average cost of assisted living in Nebraska is $3,628 per month. Compared to the remainder of the states, Nebraska falls directly in the middle of the long term care cost ranking. Within the state, median costs for assisted living vary depending on location. The pattern of average costs between Nebraska areas tends to fall in the same price range as Nebraska’s overall cost average.

For more information about assisted living costs in Nebraska, check out Genworth’s 2015 Cost of Care Survey.

Recreation & Attractions in Nebraska

Located in the heartland of America, Nebraska is home to many unique attractions celebrating the history of the land and the country. Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park. This distinctive natural park opens the doors to history through archeological digs. Visitors can experience the projects paleontologists are uncovering, including fossils from barrel-bodied rhinos, five species of horses and three species of camel.

Experience the life Native American tribes who originally inhabited Nebraska through the Ponca State Park. A premier spot for relaxation, Lake McConaughy offers a myriad of activities on the natural white sand shores such as, water sports, boating, fishing, camping on the shore, picnicking and walking trails. For those looking up to the sky instead of the ground, the Strategic Air and Space Museum over 300,000 square feet of interactive aero and space displays. The Museum also includes interactive displays featuring alternate fields of science, such as chemistry, biology, and physics.

Nebraska’s Climate, Geography, & Culture

Nebraska is a rural state full of hard working and friendly people. The state is full of treeless prairies and is one the nation’s least populated states. Even Omaha, the largest city in the state, has a small town feel to it. Residents live modestly and have conservative values but are tolerant of other races, ethnicities, and cultures.

Nestled in the middle of America, Nebraska experiences all four distinct continental seasons. The biggest distinction is between the winter and summer seasons. During the winters, it is common for temperatures to hover around freezing for the majority of the season. The average snowfall accumulates to 28 inches per year. In the summer, July is the hottest month bringing temperatures in the low to mid 90-degree range. The central and eastern parts of the state will accumulate 20-30 inches of rainfall each year, while the western portion is much drier.

Nebraska’s Assisted Living Communities Regulations & Laws

Assisted Living homes are regulated by a state-to-state basis. Every state has a publicly accessible legal document outlining the regulations, licensing, operation and other rules for assisted living, as well as for personal care homes. Likewise, the same state department oversees the public records concerning citations, violations, inspections and other similar records on individual assisted living residence. Visit the official Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to request the documents via the License Information System Search page.

Crime & Safety in Nebraska

When looking for a new place to live, it is always important to consider the safety of the community you are in. Nebraska has crime rates that are lower than the national average. If you are not sure where to start your search, we recommend starting your search with these communities in Nebraska:

Location	Violent Crimes Per 1,000 Residents	Property Crimes Per 1,000 Residents
O'Neill	0.26	6.18
Auburn	1.14	5.43
Cozad	0.24	10.21

(Source: safewise.com)

Payment Options for Nebraska Assisted Living Homes

Aged and Disabled Medicaid Waiver

For those seeking financial help, Nebraska’s Medicaid offers the Aged and Disabled Medicaid Waiver to elderly residents who prefer to reside in a assisted senior care home but are qualified for nursing home level services. Under this program, required daily services will be covered and the payments will be distributed to the care providers. There is potential for participants to self-direct care services under this waiver.

Assistance to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled (AABD) Program

For those who are not Medicaid qualified or are looking for an alternate program to meet financial needs, Nebraska offers the Assistance to the Aged, Blind, or Disabled Program to low-income elderly or disabled residents. The program is split into two sections and provides cash assistance and medical care services. A participant may qualify for only one or both of these areas. This is a federal and state-funded option.

Assisted Living Family Loans

Alternate payment options are available. Families can apply for an assisted living family loan. This provides temporary or long-term financial assistance when paying for assisted senior care. The program allows multiple people to contribute to payment.

Senior & Elderly Rights for Assisted Living Centers in Nebraska

While residing in the home, a resident retains constitutional civil rights, rights of privacy, freedom of speech, and freedom of religion. The resident also retains the right to personal possessions, autonomy over personal finances, bodily autonomy, and power of attorney. The resident has a right to be informed of the process to file a complaint of unsatisfactory living situations, abuse, neglect and the like.

Nebraska Assisted Living Homes: Medical Record Rules & Regulations

Nebraska assisted living homes are required to provide appropriate health services that are ordered by an attending physician, as well as keep all medical information confidential, accurate, and complete. Medical records shall be readily accessible upon request and should be kept for a period no less than 5 years from death or discharge date.

Residents in Nebraska assisted living centers have access to their medical records and can request a copy of all or a portion of their medical records. They can also request a copy of some or all of the information, and it is to be provided at a cost not to exceed the community standard.