We placed my sister in an assisted living facility earlier this year. Unfortunately, she had several medical emergencies that required her to be hospitalized. After each hospitalization she went to a sub acute rehab facility. When she met the requirements for discharge she returned to the assisted living facility. In reviewing the details, she has only occupied her room in AL 27% of the time that has been paid for.
On the current bill I am looking at, she is being billed for basic services, various levels of different support services, cable/TV, personal laundry services. Other bills were similar but with some variations.
I sent an email to the Finance Manager and referenced her occupancy rate and questioned if some adjustment should be made to recognize the disparity between time paid for vs. time occupied. I have received no response, so I guess that is their answer.
If you have dealt with a similar situation, were you able to get a reduction in current or future bills that recognized the great disparity between 100% occupancy and actual occupancy? What did you do? How did you approach it?
The contract spelled out specifically that the only credit was for meals .
If you were in an apartment you would still have to pay your rent and utilities whether you are there or not , same thing .
Some facilities may be more generous with credits for the laundry, care and other services etc .
The contract should spell out what happens when they are not occupying the room . Whoever signed the contract agreed to the terms.
So you pay the basic rate for certain.
If she is gone for weeks at a time, you may be able to get some adjustment on laundry or something other, but not a lot. As you will recognize, whether she is there or not, the housing with basic rate means that room is occupied. No other resident can come in on first level of care (laundry, food, etc) because that unit is occupied.
The packet on admission may have spoken of this. And the truth is that ALF may not be a good fit for her if she is not able to occupy it.
As each ALF is a business model in and of itself and unto itself, they make the rules and regs and if she isn't happy then they would expect her to move on.
I know it doesn't seem right, but they buy their food, hire their employees by the number of residents in occupancy. And just because that resident may choose to "visit my daughter for a month" doesn't mean that the charges go away.
I hope they will be able to work something to your satisfaction, or give you an explanation that makes sense for you.
Best of luck and I hope Sister will thrive and be able to take advantage of all her ALF has to offer her soon.
AL would be the same...her apartment is there for her to return to, they do not sublet it to someone else.