Assisted Living in Kansas

In Kansas, assisted living offers supportive living for seniors who prefer a community setting. Assisted living in Kansas also provides services for seniors who require assistance with activities of daily living. The median cost of assisted living is approximately $5,100 per month or $61,200 each year, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on what families pay our partner communities. In most cases, assisted living is a more affordable living option than memory care or nursing homes and actually offers care, unlike independent living or senior apartments. ^[01]

From the brilliant fields of sunflowers that inspired the state’s nickname to the understated cultural hub of Kansas City, Kansas offers many opportunities for seniors to live an active lifestyle.

The median costs associated with assisted living in Kansas range between approximately $3,400 and $7,500 per month, slightly higher than the national median according to A Place for Mom’s internal data. This range generally reflects what referred families actually paid at our partnering Kansas assisted living facilities.^[01]

There are several factors that affect the cost of a community, including location, services and amenities offered, and a residents care needs. Communities located in areas with a high cost of living tend to be more expensive. Luxury amenities such as private rooms, gourmet dining, and communities with opulent décor and finishes often result in higher prices. Additionally, specialized services and programming such as customized meal plans, physical therapy, or on-site educational classes can also elevate monthly costs.

Families typically pay out of pocket for assisted living room and board fees. However, it’s possible to offset some care service and medical costs using Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, or veteran’s benefits.

Families who plan in advance have several options for funding assisted living. It’s typical for families to blend various payment sources, including public assistance, long-term care insurance, and private pay. Common methods and resources that seniors in Kansas utilize to cover the costs of assisted living are outlined in the following tabs. For more insights and suggestions, check out our complete guide to paying for long-term care.

All assisted living communities in Kansas are required to be licensed to keep communities accountable and ensure the safety and care of residents. The Department of Aging and Disability Services regulates assisted living communities, and a branch of the department called the Survey Certification and Credentialing Commission is responsible for performing inspections of facilities and licensing. The Commission conducts annual inspections and responds to complaints by conducting investigations as necessary.

Assisted living communities are required to provide the following information, services, and care to their residents:^[04]

• Statements disclosing care responsibilities and daily or monthly charges
• Functional capacity screening on or before admission conducted by a licensed nurse, social worker, or administrator
• Assistance with activities of daily living
• Medication management or optional self-administration
• 200 square foot apartment with accessible bathroom
• 24-hour staffing

Current license status and inspection reports can be found using the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services’ Facilities Directory. Below are a few tips for navigating the site when looking up licensing and inspection information:

• Facilities are arranged alphabetically and can be searched by clicking the circle marked “Assisted Living / Residential Health Care Facilities” and then scrolling, or
• Type the name of a specific facility into the search box and then click the “Go” button.
• When you find the facility you’re searching for, click on “Inspection Results and Facility Details” to view information.
• The results provide information such as number of beds in the facility and detailed inspection surveys.

Ease of access to assisted living records in Kansas

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 Kansas assisted living records: Exceptional

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

• The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services website includes access to deficiency reports.
• Kansas has transparent assisted living records and is in the first quartile of states in our ratings.

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we 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 or N/A
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 or N/A
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes
9. Is capacity shown? Yes
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? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 15 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No