Kansas, also known as the Sunflower State, is right in the middle of the United States. From Wichita to Goodland, Dodge City to Concordia, Kansas has numerous options when it comes to senior care and assisted living. We’re going to cover the basics of care, and some more in-depth information to help you compare it to other states if you’re casting a wide net, or simply to find the facility in Kansas that best suits your needs or the needs of your loved ones.

There are over a hundred different facilities to choose form, but they don’t all cater to exactly the same needs, so please take some time to look around and find the one that will be the best fit. Before doing that, it’s important to learn what you’re even looking for in the first place, and that’s what we’re here to help with.

Quick Facts about Kansas

• Kansas is ranked in the top 10 states for assisted living, due to their guidelines, quality of care, and a number of factors that they’ve been graded on overall.
• The price you’ll have to pay each month for assisted living is below average in Kansas, along with the overall cost of living in general. Taxes are lower than the average in the country, and there are numerous exemptions as well.
• For total land area, Kansas is ranked 15^th place in the United States of America.
• The total population of Kansas State is 2,907,289 which ranks Kansas in 35^th placed in the country. So, a lot of land mass, and not a huge population of people, that’s going to mean there’s a lot of space, a lot of farm land, a lot of very hard working people tending to the land.
• The median household income in Kansas is $54,865.

Types of Assisted Living in Kansas

Facilities in Kansas will have at least 6 people living in the same residence. The types of care will vary, but include general daily day-to-day tasks like help with laundry, meals, and so on. Care givers will keep an eye on the overall well-being and health of their residents, and some nursing tasks are available, however additional care will often need to be agreed upon and added to the contract separately for patients who require additional types of care.

Some locations will offer care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, however others may not. For homes that do offer such care, all staff members are required to undergo additional training that covers how to properly care for people with additional needs. Dignity is an important aspect of memory care, it can be a terrifying and confusing time in a resident’s life, so having staff who are trained to understand these conditions and to best treat them can make a big different in the quality of life for a resident. Not all facilities are able to offer this care, and not all of them are able to offer it at the same level, so if memory care is required, you can start by filtering your search to places that offer it, then seek out the ones who offer it the best and who have philosophies that make the most sense to you.

Requirements for Moving in or Moving Out

Initial assessment information: The initial assessment is performed by someone in a position of authority and experience and is used to understand the needs and requirements of a potential resident in a facility, including physically and mentally. Check-ups to update this initial assessment are performed on a somewhat regular basis, as well.

There are numerous conditions that can disqualify somebody from being accepted into a care facility, or that may lead to somebody being asked to leave at some point. Some of these include if they no longer have any mobility, if they required regular nursing around the clock, if they are violent or dangerous to themselves or others, or any other more extreme cases that a typical assisted living facility won’t be equipped to deal with.

General Information About Care

Bathroom requirements: We weren’t able to find any universal requirements when it comes to how many washrooms are required per resident in Kansas, so you’ll have to check with each facility on their own. Ideally, each resident has their own private washroom, but it’s not uncommon to see washrooms that are shared between 4, 6, or even 8 residents. Of course, the lower the number is, the better.

Medication handling: Whether or not the facility handles the medication for the resident, or the resident is tasked with administering their own medicine, will depend on their unique case. A nurse will determine which of those options is the best fit for each resident. In some cases, it’s better if a nurse or care giver is asked with handling the medication, but if the resident can handle it themselves, it allows for a good sense of independence and taking control of their own health.

Fire and Safety information: A fire marshal must inspect each assisted living and group home in Kansas on a yearly basis, and they are required to comply with the rules set forth by the National Fire Protection Association.

Staff Training and Requirements

Once somebody is hired to work at an assisted living facility, they must undergo a training program that covers numerous aspects of their new job, including the philosophies of care for the facility at which they’re working, how to spot abuse and different types of abuse, understanding neglect of seniors, and what to do in a variety of different emergency situations that may arise.

Medicaid for Assisted Living in State and Additional Information

There are certain criteria that must be met in order for a resident to qualify for Medicaid to help cover the costs of their assisted living. You can speak to the Department for Aging and Disability Services to learn more about their eligibility requirements and how to go about taking advantage of this assistance if required.