Assisted Living in Ohio

Dubbed “The Buckeye State” for the tree that produces nuts resembling a deer’s eye, Ohio’s diverse landscape appeals to many. With state parks, beautiful woodlands, and miles of great lake coastline, the state contains endless opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. For fun in the city, Ohio offers professional sports teams, award-winning restaurants, and neighborhoods that boast the charm of America’s heartland.

Assisted living in Ohio provides long-term residential living in a community setting, with care services tailored to meet the varied needs of residents. Assisted living communities offer a variety of activities for independent and active seniors, but also provide support with activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, and eating. The median cost of assisted living in Ohio is $4,800 per month or $57,600 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on assisted living facilities in Ohio.^[01]

The cost of living in Ohio is lower than the national average, which is reflected in the state’s range of costs of assisted living: approximately $3,000 to $7,000 per month. This range is an estimate based on A Place for Mom’s proprietary data on the actual costs paid by referred families at partnering assisted living facilities in Ohio.^[01]

Assisted living prices can vary and are affected by several factors including location, services, and amenities offered, as well as the specific care needs of an individual. Communities located near larger cities, like Columbus or Cincinnati, are likely to be more expensive. Certain amenities and specialized services can also add to monthly costs.

Other factors that can affect the cost of assisted living may include:

• Room size and design
• On-site educational classes
• Gourmet meal plans
• Pet fees

Many families pay for assisted living room and board fees using a combination of private pay methods, including personal savings and retirement funds. However, families may also use Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, or veterans benefits to cover some medical and personal care services.

There are numerous ways to pay for senior care in Ohio, and it’s common for families to blend a variety of payment methods. Keep in mind that early planning often provides families with more payment options. The following section has information on several payment options, including private pay, veterans benefits, Medicaid, and Medicare.

Assisted living facilities in Ohio are referred to as residential care facilities and are licensed by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). The state defines these facilities as accommodations that provide personal care services for three or more people. Assisted living facilities must adhere to building, staffing and service regulations that include the following requirements:^[09]

• Facilities must provide assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, grooming and dressing.
• Facilities must provide recreational and social activities.
• At least one direct care staff trained in first aid must be present at all times.
• Facilities must maintain fire and carbon monoxide safety devices and have evacuation and disaster preparedness plans in place.

In Ohio, assisted living facilities are required to renew its license annually. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Health will perform at least one facility inspection every nine to fifteen months. In addition to reviewing previous inspection surveys and any complaints lodged against the facility, inspectors assess compliance with state laws and regulations, which may include evaluating the following:^[09]

• Qualifications of staff
• Food and dietary services
• Resident engagement opportunities and activities
• Infection control procedures

The Ohio Health Care Provider Search tool allows families to research information about assisted living facilities in Ohio. The tool doesn’t provide an inspection report or details about complaints, but it does list the facility’s current licensure status. The following tips can help you navigate the search tool:

• Choose “Residential Care or Assisted Living” from the provider type dropdown menu.
• Refine your search by adding the county, city, organization’s name, or additional information you have in the subsequent fields.

Ease of access to Ohio assisted living records

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.

Access to Ohio assisted living records: High

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Ohio is high. Key findings that informed this rating include:

• Ohio has above average transparency into assisted living records and a generally good website for looking into these records.
• Ohio is one of a handful of states that do not have the authority to fine an assisted living community.

How to look up Ohio assisted living licenses and records

• Ohio’s Long Term Consumer Guide contains information about providers, including a numbered grading system for inspection results.

How we arrived at our Ohio rating

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:

1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? Yes
3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? Yes
5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? No
6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? Yes
7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? Yes
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
9. Is capacity shown? No
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? Yes
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? Yes
12. Can the state fine a facility? No
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 12 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No