1 Best Assisted Living Facilities in Homer, AK

Homer, Alaska

Assisted Living

An assisted living community is an organized living community which provides assistance, support, and care to medically stable seniors who do not need skilled nursing services. Assisted living communities usually provide supervision of care, outings for recreational activity, and help with daily activities. In some situations, communities may offer Alzheimer’s care, respite, or hospice. In Alaska, the annual median cost for an assisted living community is around $72,000 . Alaska maintains a number of provisions associated with this type of community. The Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Health Care Services, and the Department of Administration regulates this community type. There must be one bath or shower for every 1 residents and one toilet for every 1 residents. This type of community is required to have a staff member on duty 24 hours a day. The minimum number of residents for this community type is 3. Staff members obtain education in a variety of fields. These include: house rules, reporting responsibilities, universal precautions, and medication management. Public assistance is available through Two Medicaid 1915(c) waiver programs–Alaskans Living Independently and Adults with Physical and Developmental Disabilities. This community has a number of provisions concerning food and diet which include the home must accommodate any preference for smaller portions, The home must consider each resident’s health-related or religious restrictions and cultural or ethnic preferences in food preparation, Fresh fruits and vegetables should be offered as often as possible, and three balanced, nutritious meals and at least one snack daily at consistent times. This type of community is required to offer a number of services. These include hospice services, 24-hour skilled nursing for up to 45 days, assistance with self-administration of medications, and assistance with activities of daily living . Before a resident is accepted, they must go through a service plan screening to make sure their needs are going to be met. This screening includes a number of areas of interest such as religious affiliation, preferences for roommates, living environment, and physical disabilities and impairments. This community type has a number of provisions pertaining to medication assistance. These provisions include reassure the resident that the dosage is correct, observe a resident while taking medication, and check a self-administered dosage against the label.

Cost of Living

The location in which a community is based could have a major impact on the price of care. Cost of living is a major factor when selecting which community meets the needs of your loved one’s needs. The median home value in Homer is about $270,708 and the median cost for rent is about $1,202 a month. The rent burden for Homer is about 18.7% of the average person’s monthly income.

Demographics and Values

Demographically, Homer is 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 86.3% white, 1.4% Asian, 0.4% black, 6.2% mixed race, 0.7% other or not specified, 6.2% Hispanic, and 5.0% Native American. Based on gender, 53.0% are female and 47.0% are male. The median age of Homer is 39 years old. The current population of Homer consists of 5,697 people. Homer has a population density of 159 people per square mile. Out of the total population of Homer, 64.4% participate in the labor force, 8.9% live in poverty, 14.2% have some form of disability, and 17.2% do not have health insurance. Of the population of Homer 15.2% have a graduate degree, 22.1% have a high-school diploma, and 34.1% have a college degree. In Homer, 9.3% of the population are veterans of the United States armed forces.

State Information

An overview of Alaska

The quality of life enjoyed by the average Alaska citizen is ranked 44th nation-wide. Additionally, Alaska is ranked 25th by standards of healthcare. Residents of Alaska enjoy its natural beauty which ranks 45th in the United States. Out of a national average of 100, Alaska has a cost of living index rating of 131, a grocery index rating of 134, and a housing index rating of 134. In total, Alaska has 26 general hospitals and 35 health centers that provide care for 735,097 citizens. Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, Alaska Regional Hospital, and Providence Alaska Medical Center are among the top three highest ranked hospitals in the state.

Social demographics of the state

In terms of diversity, Alaska ranks 15th in the nation and is considered LGBTQ friendly. In Alaska, 25% of the population is over the age of 55. The median age in the state is 35. In terms of religious values, 30% of Alaska’s population regularly attend some form of service and there are in total 1,246 different congregations. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-<1%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%, with the most common Christian denominations consisting of Evangelical Protestant-22%, Mainline Protestant-12%, and Historically Black Protestant-3%. In Alaska there are 27 masonic lodges. In the last presidential election 37% of Alaska residents voted Democrat and 51% voted Republican.

State-wide weather information

On average, the state receives 3.13 inches of precipitation a month. The most precipitation occurs in October with an average of 21.97 inches of precipitation a month. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 12F. The average high winter temperature is around 43F in the month of February. In the winter months, the average low temperature falls to around -31F during the month of February. During the summer, the average temperature in Alaska is around 54F. The average high summer temperature is around 74F in the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 31F in the month of June. The average air quality index rating in Alaska is 29.6 AQI. The highest seasonal air quality index rating occurs in the month of February with a rating of 42.0 AQI. On average, the humidity rating for Alaska is around 77%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of July at around 93%. While residents of Alaska mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Alaska can include floods.

Wildlife to be found in Alaska

The state of Alaska has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of White Spruce, Sitka Spruce, Black Spruce, and Western Hemlock. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the Mountain Goat, the Caribou, the Brown, Black, And Polar Bears, or the Orca. The state animal of Alaska is the The Moose.