We are in the planning stages of moving from NY in about a year and trying to decide between SC (near Charleston) and NC (near Raleigh). I am a sandwich family with an 80 yr old dad and 17 yr old daughter to take care of.
I have found that the cost of AL is less down south which is something we are considering for Dad as he does have some (currently mild) physical and cognitive issues.
Any pros, cons, or differences we should know about between SC and NC and NY?
Due to my Husbands dementia I/we moved from one County to another. Same State. And I have to say the County we moved to was much easier when I was looking for resources. The County we moved to was what I call Veteran Friendly and fewer people in the county made it easier to connect with the services we/ I needed in order to care for him safely.
So from the two States you are consider look into the various resources that would be available to you.
Also check Hospitals in each area. And if your dad, you or your husband is a Veteran see what resources there are that you might have to access at some point.
Now I live in NC(not Raleigh area, though my daughter is in that area with her family,) and in the city I'm in, we have a lot to offer seniors, from senior daycares, to lots of choices for senior living and care, to different activities designed just for seniors.
Your best bet may be to just "Google" both states to see what is offered for seniors in the areas that you're thinking about.
I grew up in Wisconsin, and was grateful to get the heck out of there, as I am not a fan of winter, so if you're a native of NY, and think you will miss winter and snow, then you probably don't want to live in either SC, or NC, as we seldom if ever get any snow, and if we do it's usually just a dusting.
I've lived here since 1991, and I have yet to own a winter coat. Now that doesn't mean that you may not occasionally need one, but for as little as you might, it's just not worth the investment, when a nice sweater coat or fleece lined jacket will do. Have fun on figuring out where you will be going. It will be quite the adventure.
It will be strange to have things shut down when there’s only an inch on the ground 😉
thanks for the reply!!
we do have a lot to look into!
However, those who may live in either SC, NC and/or NY could offer insights from their experiences and perspectives. But you might want to share other issues of concern beyond the cost of AL.
What I would do is create a checklist of all factors that are important, including the cost of AL, and any follow-on placements. I would also consider and evaluate the cost and array of home care, in the event it might be needed sometime in the future.
What else is important to you for your father's care? Activities in each AL facility, closeness to hospitals, number and reputation of local hospitals, abundance or shortage of emergency vehicles for transport, medical firms in various practices (cardiology, orthopaedic, internists, etc.), PT/OT facilities in the event of physical injury and need for therapy, etc. Is it important to be in an area with a teaching hospital?
In addition, I'd consider closeness of special restaurants your family may prefer and to which your father could be taken, religious institutions if that's important to him, senior center activities (as well as in an AL facility).
Imagine what he would need, then research all the potentials.
A friend of mine moved her mom from NY to VA and found that the area didn’t have a lot of resources. During my research, I found out spousal refusal for Medicaid is only recognized in NY, not SC or NC…but this won’t pertain to us now as my mom passed away last year.