In Kansas, assisted living offers supportive living for seniors who prefer a community setting. Assisted living in Kansas also provides services for seniors who require assistance with activities of daily living. The median cost of assisted living is approximately $5,100 per month or $61,200 each year, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on what families pay our partner communities. In most cases, assisted living is a more affordable living option than memory care or nursing homes and actually offers care, unlike independent living or senior apartments. [01]
From the brilliant fields of sunflowers that inspired the state’s nickname to the understated cultural hub of Kansas City, Kansas offers many opportunities for seniors to live an active lifestyle.
The median costs associated with assisted living in Kansas range between approximately $3,400 and $7,500 per month, slightly higher than the national median according to A Place for Mom’s internal data. This range generally reflects what referred families actually paid at our partnering Kansas assisted living facilities.[01]
There are several factors that affect the cost of a community, including location, services and amenities offered, and a residents care needs. Communities located in areas with a high cost of living tend to be more expensive. Luxury amenities such as private rooms, gourmet dining, and communities with opulent décor and finishes often result in higher prices. Additionally, specialized services and programming such as customized meal plans, physical therapy, or on-site educational classes can also elevate monthly costs.
Families typically pay out of pocket for assisted living room and board fees. However, it’s possible to offset some care service and medical costs using Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, or veteran’s benefits.
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Kansas
US National average
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Families who plan in advance have several options for funding assisted living. It’s typical for families to blend various payment sources, including public assistance, long-term care insurance, and private pay. Common methods and resources that seniors in Kansas utilize to cover the costs of assisted living are outlined in the following tabs. For more insights and suggestions, check out our complete guide to paying for long-term care.
Private pay is what we typically call the use of personal funds to pay for assisted living costs. Personal funds may include money from a savings account, pension, investments, or retirement accounts. Most families combine two or more types to pay for assisted living. The seniors and families we refer to assisted living most commonly use the options below to help pay for care.
In Kansas, selling a house can help fund many costs related to assisted living, such as the move to a new community or the cost of the community itself.
A reverse mortgage is a loan borrowed against a home’s equity. It may be an option for many Kansas seniors to help them pay for long-term care in an assisted living community.
Using the funds from a health savings account (HSA) can help seniors in Kansas pay for many assisted living expenses.
While life insurance policies differ, some providers offer a “long-term care rider” option that allows policy holders in Kansas to use benefits to pay for care expenses, including at assisted living communities.
In Kansas, long-term care insurance can cover a wide range of services, including help with daily activities, home health care, nursing home care, or care in an assisted living community. Policies vary, so it’s important to understand what your loved one’s provider covers.
Social Security benefits for assisted living may be available to individuals residing in a Medicaid-approved assisted living facility through the Kansas State Supplement Payment program.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may provide pension or disability benefits for eligible senior veterans and their surviving spouses to help them pay for assisted living. These benefits can provide monthly income to help pay for room and board at an assisted living community, in addition to long-term care services.
The process to determine eligibility and to apply for benefits is complicated and time consuming. However, benefits counseling is offered through veterans service organizations (VSOs). Veterans are encouraged to utilize these services by connecting with an experienced veteran service officer at their local chapter of VSOs like the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFWs) and American Legion. They can advise and advocate for veterans or spouses who are trying to access VA benefits.
Consider reaching out to these VA offices in Kansas:
For assistance and advocacy while applying for benefits, consider the following VSOs across Georgia:
KanCare is Kansas’ Medicaid program and while it doesn’t pay for room and board in an assisted living community, it does cover some personal care and medically necessary services. KanCare is administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).
Medicaid is health insurance co-funded by the state and federal governments, designed for low-income individuals and families. Individual states create their own programs within federal guidelines, determining the scope of services offered and who is eligible.
There’s one home and community based services (HCBS) waiver program operating under KanCare for elderly adults, intended to support the needs of specific groups of individuals. Depending on their financial status and care requirements, certain seniors may qualify for the Frail Elderly (FE) waiver in Kansas.
The Frail Elderly (FE) waiver provides a way for Kansas residents over 65 to pay for a variety of services, including personal care, household tasks, and health services. The program doesn’t cover room and board expenses at an assisted living facility, but it does cover services in a senior’s residence to help them remain in their community.[02]
Medicare is federal health insurance for people 65 or older. Medicare doesn’t cover the cost of room and board for assisted living communities in Kansas. However, it can be used to cover medically necessary services in an assisted living community, as determined by a doctor.
Kansas offers three Medicare Savings Plan (MSP) programs that help qualified seniors pay their Medicare Parts A and B premiums. Certain seniors may also be eligible for help paying for their Medicare deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.[03] Free Medicare counseling services are offered by trained counselors through the Senior Health Insurance Counseling For Kansas (SHICK) program.
Extra Help is a program operated by the Social Security Administration designed to help Medicare beneficiaries with the costs, deductibles, co-insurance and co-pays associated with their Medicare Part D drug insurance.
Kansas long-term care ombudsmen advocate for the rights of residents who live in long-term care settings such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home plus facilities. Paid and volunteer staff work with residents, their families, providers and other agencies to resolve problems and concerns.
I feel like we made a good choice with this facility, it's a nice place. I think it's the best facility in our area. The pricing is very good, too. The whole facility is always spotless and smells nice....
My mom is a resident at Shawnee Hills Senior Living and she is very happy there. I have dealt with [name removed] the most and she is amazing. She knows everyone's name and she makes a point to go socialize...
The staff went above and beyond to take care of my mom and make her feel at home. She raved about how good the food was and couldn't have asked for a more caring and attentive staff. Communication was...
My mom is a resident at Shawnee Hills Senior Living and she is very happy there. I have dealt with [name removed] the most and she is amazing. She knows everyone's name and she makes a point to go socialize...
The staff at Brookdale Shawnee are wonderful. The move in process was very good, they were very accommodating. The meals seem to be okay. I think that the individual rooms need to be cleaned more than once a...
Brookdale has been great to my mom & our family. My mom has been there about a month. The staff seem to really care and are willing to do whatever you ask. My mom is meeting new people and getting stronger...
My mom is a resident at Shawnee Hills Senior Living and she is very happy there. I have dealt with [name removed] the most and she is amazing. She knows everyone's name and she makes a point to go socialize...
The location is ideal for us. I would like to see them hire more staff to better assist the residents. I'd like to see more staff available with credentials for geriatric care. They are minimally staffed...
The staff is all wonderful and have been great as I live out of state. Always receptive and helpful when I call. Food seems to be an issue according to my mom in regards to variety. Yet, trying to please all...
Staff members always interact with residents in a positive manner and are in tune with each resident's state of memory and physical needs. Activities abound in the activity room with staff members engaging...
What we really like about Colonial Oaks is that they provide a wide array of care for a single price. Activities etc. Based on our experience we would recommend this community to other families who are...
The entire experience was terrific from tour to move in and continues now that mom calls Sunrise home. The staff is very very friendly. They are attentive to the residence needs and question's. It takes a...
It feels and smells clean, I love that. However the responsiveness to maintenance issues needs to be improved. I also loved how close it is to our house.
Professional, highly skilled staff, a safe and clean environment, friendly atmosphere for everyone we've seen. This place truly cares for their residents.
I've had a good experience with the community. I would recommend to others to make sure you understand all the levels of care. Please make sure to ask about how independent living works when the resident...
All assisted living communities in Kansas are required to be licensed to keep communities accountable and ensure the safety and care of residents. The Department of Aging and Disability Services regulates assisted living communities, and a branch of the department called the Survey Certification and Credentialing Commission is responsible for performing inspections of facilities and licensing. The Commission conducts annual inspections and responds to complaints by conducting investigations as necessary.
Assisted living communities are required to provide the following information, services, and care to their residents:[04]
Current license status and inspection reports can be found using the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services’ Facilities Directory. Below are a few tips for navigating the site when looking up licensing and inspection information:
We developed a system to rate each state on how easy – or difficult – it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and compiled tips to help you in your search.
States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.
Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Kansas is exceptional. Key findings that informed this rating include:
We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:
A Place for Mom. (2023). A Place for Mom proprietary data.
Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Frail and elderly waiver program.
KanCare Ombudsman. Medicare savings program (MSP) and extra help program.
Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services. (2021, April 14). Statutes and regulations for the licensure and operation of assisted living/residential health care facilities.
Overview of Assisted Living in KS
The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical, legal or financial advice or create a professional relationship between A Place for Mom and the reader. Always seek the advice of your health care provider, attorney or financial advisor with respect to any particular matter, and do not act or refrain from acting on the basis of anything you have read on this site. Links to third-party websites are only for the convenience of the reader; A Place for Mom does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
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