Most communities offer seniors nearly all the comforts of home. But a found D.C. was the second most expensive place in the country at $6,800 a month.

The reason is the increasing rates of occupancies. There’s a demand — people need care.

“They might have been waiting for as long as possible and they just can no longer wait,” said gerontologist Marlena del Hierro with Seniorly.com, adding that rising labor costs and inflation played a role too.

“There are different types of communities. There are larger assisted livings that are luxurious. There are smaller, personal care homes or boarding cares. Group homes is also what they’re known for,” del Hierro said. “And those usually happen to be more of an affordable option. So I don’t want to completely scare everyone.”

For families struggling to find housing, del Hierro said there are companies that work to simplify the process.

“Any type of service to support you as you age, these companies work fast. They know that this is a really quick need,” del Hierro said.

The cost of assisted living facilities in Maryland and Virginia ranged from $3,800 to $4,100 a month, according to the Seniorly study.

If it’s tough to find an affordable facility, you could save money by hiring a professional to come into the home.

Home health aides are a lot less expensive than assisted living facilities.

According to Seniorly.com, the price is $5,600 a month for one in D.C. That’s a $1,200 savings compared to $6,800 at a senior living facility.

“You can hire someone in your home that will support your day-to-day needs. So this is absolutely an option,” del Hierro said.

But it may not work for everyone, such as when a “loved one needs more supervision, 24-hour care, because then this cost will end up going higher in hourly rate,” del Hierro said.

Keeping your loved ones in their own home

Del Hierro added that making some home modifications can help keep the cost down and your loved ones in their own home.

My family opted to go this route when it became clear that my mother wanted to continue living at home. We started preparing things around the house, making modifications around the house. Some of the things that were included in that were adding extra lighting to the house, adding some handlebars or bars in the bathroom, in the shower, in the toilet area, to make sure that my mom could get in and out.

We also brought in a certified nursing assistant to help with tasks around the house when my siblings and I weren’t available.

Seniorly found in Virginia and Maryland was between $5,200 to $5,400 a month, not too far behind D.C.’s.

However, cost can vary widely based on how much care your loved one actually needs.

In D.C., that money can go a long way. The District of Columbia ranks No. 3 on the list of

But as demand for care goes up, it could get harder and harder to find quality care. The American Health Association said 4.1 million people will turn 65 this year; many could end up in assisted living facilities for care.

“The caregivers do impact the experience, impact the quality of care,” del Hierro said.

Seniorly evaluated the best senior care staffing by looking at facilities around the country and found D.C. had the lowest staff turnover rate and a high ratio of home health aides for people 75 and older.

So, how can you find a well-staffed facility in your area? Experts said these are some other important questions to ask:

• What are the qualifications?
• What are they looking at when they’re hiring someone?
• Do they have to have some type of certification? An LPN? An RN?
• What really qualifies someone to be working at that specific community?
• Check for any violations, take a tour of the facility and get recommendations.
• Also, find out what the staffing level is, how they train staff and how often.

“People are continuing to get older — you can’t stop that. There are systems that are coming about that are making sure we are improving and being better as an industry,” del Hierro said.

As for my mom, she eventually needed to undergo physical and occupational therapy, on top of the in-home care she was receiving. She died in early January.

I remember my mom was vibrant and upbeat and she took care of everybody. And just to see her not able to take care of herself or her family — it was hard to watch.

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It can be difficult to talk about money with your aging parents. But experts say the sooner you do it, the easier it will be to protect their well-being.

Amy Goyer, a caregiver expert with AARP, advised creating a list of your parents’ personal information, financial accounts and bills.

“Do they have retirement savings? What’s their budget? What’s their income? Do they have debt?” Goyer offered as examples of questions to investigate.

If you start to see problems or mail piling up, Goyer said they may not be opening their bills at all. Check to see if they have auto-pay set up for bills they can pay online and if it is going smoothly.

Goyer said you can listen out for warning signs. For example: “If you hear them say, ‘Oh, I overdrew my checking again. I didn’t realize that bill was coming in,’ or they’re having trouble tracking that.”

Once you begin talking with your parents about their finances, Goyer suggested making sure that you approach it in a caring and loving way.

”You’re not trying to take over their lives. You’re not judging them, because if they know they’re not doing quite what they used to do, they’re going to be feeling bad about themselves,” Goyer said.

Getting the legal right to handle your aging parents’ finances can make the process much easier and less stressful.

But do you know where to start to avoid a crisis later?

Experts say you should find out what the rules are in your state and sit down with an estate planning attorney or go to a seminar.

Attorney Amanda Singleton with AARP said it’s critical to have a clear will or trust in place.

“Those dictate what happens, the people that you nominate to close up your final affairs, to distribute inheritance to people or charities of your choosing and to really manage any final loose ends that you have here,” Singleton said.

She said it can save you a lot of time and stress.

“When you’re not wrapped up in a court case, when your wishes are clear and everything has been expressed or done through transfer on death or beneficiary designations, that reduces the ability for conflict. That reduces the opportunity for family members to disagree and duke it out in court,” Singleton said.

• Read Part 3 of Â鶹ąŮÍř’s series, “Parenting Your Parents,” where Jones talks to experts about how to decide between assisted living and other senior care options for aging parents.

How to financially prepare your parents for moving into a facility

At some point, your aging parents will deal with life-changing health conditions and may not be able to live on their own. So, moving them to an assisted living facility could be the best option. But how do you financially prepare them for it?

Experts advise planning ahead to avoid a hefty bill down the road. But remember, it’s all about their quality of life.

Gerontologist Marlena del Hierro with said to compare the cost of your parents aging at home versus in an assisted living facility.

“It helps so that it’s not a sticker shock, because senior care is expensive. Unfortunately, Medicare does not pay for senior living,” Del Hierro said.

She said finding a financial planner and utilizing other resources can help your parents make the best decision.

“Whether you’re reaching out to your geriatric care manager or a senior living expert, those people exist. Perhaps your family, your friends and your family, people who have gone through this, are other great resources for you. You shouldn’t do this alone,” Del Hierro said.

And don’t forget to take a look at your own finances.

“Make sure you’re aware what you need to be able to save and that you’re living comfortably or as comfortable as you can because you might be contributing here and there to your loved ones’ needs,” Del Hierro said.

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Here in Part 1, Jones opened up about how she took on the difficult role of helping her mom cope with illness in her last days.

You may now be faced with handling what could be one of the most difficult tasks of your life — taking care of your parents. Many adult children know it’s inevitable as their parents get older, but it can often feel unexpected when that day finally arrives. Are you prepared, emotionally or financially, to take on the role of caregiver?

My mom, Linda B. Jones, was one of a kind. She was a vibrant woman who enjoyed life to the fullest. She loved to cook and always kept a clean house. But taking care of her family was number one.

But we never imagined the roles reversing. It started after mom suffered from several mild strokes in January 2022.

That was the first sign that she needed more medical attention. Her primary care physician recommended that she see a specialist. Neurologists diagnosed her with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in 2023. It’s a disorder that causes dementia.

When my mother’s condition worsened, me, my father and my younger siblings had to step in and help her with grocery shopping, cooking and other chores around the home, as she underwent physical and occupational therapy.

• Read Part 2 of Â鶹ąŮÍř’s series, “Parenting Your Parents,” where Jones talks to experts about managing your parents’ finances. 
• Read Part 3 of Â鶹ąŮÍř’s series, “Parenting Your Parents,” where Jones talks to experts about saving ahead for assisted living care.

But my mother remained steadfast and upbeat despite her condition. It’s not always the case for other parents, who might find it difficult to give up their independence.

“You may be providing full hands-on care for someone to meet their personal needs,” said an organization that advocates for people who are over the age 50.

Goyer said that one of the first things to do is set up a power of attorney for your parents regarding their health care. That’s a legal document that allows someone else to act on another person’s behalf. This will allow your parents’ doctors to talk directly with you.

“They’re going to talk to you differently and they’re going to feel that they can tell you some things that they wouldn’t tell you otherwise. You’re loved ones can sign release forms that say it’s OK to talk to you about that,” Goyer said.

Before you meet with doctors, bring a list of questions. Ask them, “How do you think my loved one’s doing? What’s the prognosis? Do you think this is a possible treatment course? She doesn’t seem to be doing well with this medication, is there an alternative?”

Goyer said if have questions about a certain treatment that you think your loved one should have, bring information about that too.

“Be prepared in that sense. I think it’s always wise to have a good medical history, a complete medication list, including any vitamins and supplements they’re taking, any test results you want to discuss with the doctor,” Goyer said.

You should also start preparing the house your parents are living in before you take on the role of caregiver, such a getting a thorough safety evaluation around the entire home.

Goyer pointed out that lighting is important.

“It’s the last thing people think about, but it’s one of the biggest causes of falls because people can’t see where they’re going,” she said.

Some areas to focus on include the stairwell, the hallway foyer leading to the front door, and outside in the front and back of the home.

Goyer also said to make sure there’s enough light leading to the bathroom, so they can see where they’re going.

She recommended getting rid of throw rugs, adding handrails in the bathroom and staying away from step ladders and stairs.

“Some people have lifts put in their homes, really simple lifts or elevators. And that makes their home stay safe longer,” Goyer said.

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Essentially, allowing you to visit multiple countries for the price of one.

This means that when traveling through airline hubs, instead of hanging out for an hour or several hours until you make your next connection, it will allow you to stay over in that city for several days before moving on to you final destination.

“They don’t charge extra for that,” said Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Washington Consumers Checkbook.

He added that it’s best to book on the .

“I reviewed the websites at 100 airlines and found that 26 allow free stopovers. Many stopover programs are well advertised. It’s in an effort to attract tourism to their countries.” Brasler said.

Icelandair’s stopover program is among the best known, according to Brasler.

Several other carriers, such as Air Canada, Etihad, Iberia, PLAY Airlines, Qatar Airways, TAP Air Portugal, and Turkish Airlines, also actively lure customers by widely promoting fares with free stops.

But he said to check with those carriers to make sure you will pay the lowest price for your trip.

“That’s because I often found that I could save by building the same itineraries with one or more competing carriers other than the airline with the free stopover program,” Brasler said.

But some countries won’t let you go beyond nearby hotels. So make sure you don’t need a special visa to leave the airport for an extra stopover.

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Diversity in the medical field could lead to better health outcomes for everyone. But, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, and minority representation in medical schools has

For Jermaine Blakley, a third-year medical student at the Howard University College of Medicine, making an impact on the medical field for the better is crucial.

“I think diversity within the medical field is extremely important,” Blakley said. “The human experience is so customized and so unique to every patient.”

His mother, who is a nurse, introduced him to working in medicine and health care and had a huge influence on his career path. Blakley grew up in rural Alabama, where he said access to health care was scarce.

“My mom was in a bad car accident one day, and our closest hospital was in Mississippi at the time,” Blakely said. “So, you have to drive at least 40 minutes for emergency situations.”

Blakley is part of the Abbott Scholars program, which aims to foster diversity in medicine and advance health equity for students of color at four historically Black colleges and universities.

In 2021, in medicine and improve care among underrepresented populations. Through partnerships with four HBCU medical schools, the National Black Nurses Association and the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Abbott will dedicate $5 million to fund nearly 300 scholarships until 2026 to support training and education.

“I’m very grateful for a company like Abbott Laboratories, who decided to give me a scholarship so that I can decrease some of that financial burden for me … because medical school is arduous and very complex itself,” Blakely said. “So helping to decrease an additional burden for me has been very monumental, to not only my mental health but to my academic capabilities.”

Courtesy Abbott

Courtesy Abbott

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The incident has led to more awareness about when trees may be a safety risk.

Like most plants, trees do have a way of . So how can you protect yourself?

Experts say you should regularly, especially large trees with limbs hanging near bedrooms and other parts of your home.

If you decide to go with a professional to remove these potentially dangerous branches, Kevin Brasler with Washington Consumers’ Checkbook said it’s best to get several written proposals.

“We found that they send often have different approaches to dealing with problem trees, and sometimes you don’t need to remove the whole tree. Some will suggest trimming more than others,” Brasler said.

Brasler said with any tree care service, make sure they are licensed and insured.

“(The written proposals) should carry workers’ compensation insurance and it should carry liability insurance,” according to Brasler. “Tree care work is very dangerous, not just to the workers doing it, but potentially to your property and your neighbors’ property.”

And if you lose trees or limbs after a storm, he recommended not hiring people who come door to door and promise to do the work and clean up right away. Oftentimes, they will say they are doing work for a neighbor.

“Most of these people are scam artists. They’re going to take your money and you’re never going to see them again,” Brasler said. “Some will do the work, but they’ll do it poorly. They’re usually unlicensed operators.”

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But patients should know the risks before getting the procedure, because complications can and do happen, according to experts. And there’s growing concern that surgeons are not disclosing the frequency of those complications and overpromising results.

“Although most LASIK customers are happy with the results, there’s still plenty that are not satisfied or wish they hadn’t done it,” said Kevin Brasler, with Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, who added that LASIK is also not necessarily a permanent fix.

Brasler said many LASIK patients have experienced dry eyes, double vision and trouble seeing at night. And the biggest risk, according to , is that it weakens the eye and makes it more vulnerable to injury from impacts.

“Most patients who get it will someday still need glasses or have to have a second procedure to correct their vision as it declines,” he said.

the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated that up to one week following surgery, about 85% of patients experience dry eyes. Six months after surgery, about 41% report “visual symptoms such as glare, halos, starbursts, and double images,” with around 4% having “very” or “extremely” bothersome symptoms.

“If you still want to have LASIK surgery, carefully select your surgeon (and) ask lots of questions,” Brasler said. “If a doctor doesn’t have time to answer your questions, that’s a big red flag. I think it also makes sense to compare costs.”

Some surgeons provide clear disclosures about possible complications, but the FDA is recommending more standardized language, as it is concerned that “patients may not be receiving information in a format that allows them to make a well-informed decision about whether to have LASIK.”

Part of the reason for the FDA’s push is that the laser-eye surgery industry also tends to overstate the success rate.

Brasler told Â鶹ąŮÍř that undercover shoppers found prices in the D.C. area range from $3,800 to $6,000 for the surgery.

Â鶹ąŮÍř’s Thomas Robertson contribute to this report.

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A recent dog death at a boarding facility at a Northern Virginian PetSmart has raised serious concerns over boarding your furry friends.

Andrew Noles, who lost his 3-year-old Aussiedoodle, Clark, after boarding him at the “Petshotel” inside the PetSmart in Potomac Yard for three days. A veterinarian called him unexpectedly on the second day with the heartbreaking news.

Other local veterinarians are reminding owners to make sure they’re protected by planning ahead.

“Ask the boarding facility, ‘What vaccinations do you require?’ And if they say, ‘We don’t require any vaccinations,’ then that’s a red flag. You don’t want to go there,” said Dr. Peter Eeg, owner of Poolesville Veterinary Clinic in Maryland.

After receiving a vaccine, it takes pets seven to 14 days to become fully immune, according to Eeg.

“We highly recommend that they are fully vaccinated with their Bordetella vaccine, their influenza vaccine … at least 10 days before they go to a boarding facility,” he added.

Eeg said it’s not clear what led up to the death of the dog at PetSmart, but that there has been an outbreak of a significant upper respiratory disease in dogs that spreads through direct contact with other dogs.

He added that your pet should have routine evaluations to make sure there’s no preexisting conditions that “may be exacerbated when the pet is staying at a boarding facility,” since pets are often afraid and much more nervous.

He recommended bringing your own food and water for the pet and checking out the facility before dropping it off.

“Nowadays, you can go on the web and look over the entire facility. You can watch live videos of the facility. You can see where the animals will be housed,” Eeg said.

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Passport scams are common during peak travel seasons, and it’s essential to use the official websites for passport services.

The Federal Trade Commission to help protect you from being a victim if you’re searching online to get a new or updated passport.

“They may use a flag or a seal that looks really official. However, they’re fake websites,” said Gema de las Heras, consumer education specialist with the FTC, adding that scammers will pretend to be affiliated with the federal government.

“If people are doing searches online, the other thing that they may see pop up are these fake websites that are set up by scammers with similar names to the Department of State or using official-looking seals and pretending to be affiliated with the government,” de las Heras said.

In some cases, scammers are trying to get your personal information.

“They also charge a fee going anywhere from $60 to a few hundred dollars, and this is on top of what people have to pay to get their passport,” de las Heras said.

She said the U.S. Department of State is the only government agency that legitimately handles passport services, and you can set up an appointment for free if you need a passport right away.

“If you pay those (fraudulent) websites, you might end up losing your money because you might not still get a passport. And then you might be giving your information to scammers that then turn it around and sell it to identity thieves,” she added.

You can visit for passport services. You can report any fake passport websites to the Department of State at

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Experts say you are entitled to a full refund for the unused portion of your ticket, even if you booked a “nonrefundable” fare. In such cases, airlines typically instead offer flight credits, air miles, or trip vouchers by default.

Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Washington Consumers Checkbook, says you don’t have to accept what the airlines offer.

“I mean, it’s our money,” Brasler said. “Why should we have to, by default, opt for a trip credit or a flight credit that will someday expire, when what we really want is to have our money sent back to us?”

For the airlines, it means paying sooner than later. If not, they could face hefty fines, under the regulations from the Department of Transportation.

“The DOT has now issued new guidelines for delays and changes made by the airlines and also sets deadlines for how quickly the airlines must issue refunds,” Brasler said.

The new rule requires refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to request them.
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases, and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

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But are they really worth the money?

Some people rent storage space because they’re moving into a new home and it won’t be ready yet, or maybe they need to get belongings out of the way because of a remodel.

No matter the reason, Kevin Brasler, executive director of Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, said they’re in high demand and very costly.

He told Â鶹ąŮÍř their undercover shoppers collected prices from self-storage companies throughout the D.C. area and found that, on average, even small units run about $900 a year, while medium-sized units usually cost more than $3,000 per year.

“Because they’re so expensive, the math really becomes irrational for most of those who rent self-storage units,” Brasler said. “Because just after a short time you’ll have paid more in rent and fees to that company than your belongings are actually worth.”

But if you really do need storage space, Brasler said be sure to shop around.

“We found there’s a lot of competition among these storage companies and they know that once they get you, once you move your stuff in, you’re going to be unlikely to move it somewhere else if you find a better price,” Brasler said.

He recommends asking for a discount, watching out for extra fees and making sure your homeowners or renters insurance policy will protect your belongings while in storage. Most policies will, but it’s worth checking first.

To save the most money, it’s best to just get rid of stuff instead of renting extra space.

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Experts say it may be hard to find the right auto repair shop because some vastly outperform others and there are huge price variations from shop to shop.

In most cases, they say consumers with newer vehicles would be best served at the dealership.

But Kevin Brasler, executive editor at Washington Consumers’ Checkbook, said those with older vehicles may not need to go to the dealership for service. The consumer group .

“The reason is that, overall, independent shops get considerable higher rates than dealerships when we survey customers about their experiences,” Brasler said.

Brasler told Â鶹ąŮÍř they also found that independent shops charge a lot less for repairs than do dealerships.

He advised telling the technician fixing your vehicle what the exact problem is, instead of just guessing at it.

Another thing to consider before getting any work done on the vehicle:

“Insist that the shop provide you with a written estimate before doing any repairs and require that it check with you if it finds that costs will be higher than what it estimated,” Brasler said.

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With Father’s Day around the corner, a new campaign aims to bring awareness to infant health and the critical role of raising children in the D.C. area.

On Wednesday, the announced it plans to accept more than 300,000 Huggies diapers in the largest single diaper donation the bank has ever received, according to a news release.

The , in partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment, has Washington Wizards players and staff volunteering at the diaper drive. They were present to help process the donations on Wednesday.

Washington Wizards point guard Jared Butler is one of several players who jumped in to lend a hand by collecting and stacking hundreds of boxes of diapers at the warehouse in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“It feels great because I feel like I’m actually providing a service for the people that are in need,” Butler said. “I get to see behind the scenes of what’s actually going on and what’s actually helping the people in the community.”

Liz Schurgin, executive director of the Greater D.C. Diaper Bank, said diaper need is growing in the U.S.

“Thanks to a survey with the Diaper Bank network, we now know that 1 in 2 families experience diaper need. A clean baby is a healthy baby,” Schurgin said.

There is also the cost associated with buying diapers in the region, which Schurgin said could be as much as $1,200 a year for a baby.

“Diapers are expensive and the price is only going up,” Schurgin said.

Organizers said Diaper Dudes is also a way to build strong relationships between men and young male children — which is something Butler believes is greatly needed.

“The male figure in the household is super important. So I think us being here is obviously supporting that cause,” Butler said.

Around 700 volunteers are needed to distribute diapers this month to local families. To find available dates to volunteer, contact the Diaper Bank

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Consumer finance website Wallethub released a study showing D.C. at the bottom of the list for The study included insights from a panel of experts in veteran resources, public policy, economics and financial advising.

Analyst Cassandra Happe said they focused on three key categories: economic environment, quality of life and health care.

Overall, the District ranked 48th in the U.S. The city’s veterans per capita rating came in at 46th, number of VA health facilities per number of veterans at 49th, and housing affordability at 48th.

“[D.C.] did alright when it came to the economic environment category. They ranked 32nd in that particular category. But they really struggled when it came to health care and quality of life,” Happe said.

Happe said VA hospitals need to provide better care and more facilities for the veteran population.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a very positive message for military retirees in the D.C. area to see this much of a disparity between the number of veterans and the services they can have access to,” Happe said.

Happe said when you look at a study like this, there’s a lot of different agencies and entities involved in the policies that support veterans.

“These veterans have sacrificed a part of their life just to keep us safe. We really owe it to them to provide the best quality of services,” Happe said.

For retirees that don’t want to wait on policy changes, they can always settle in nearby Virginia or Maryland.

Virginia ranked at 3rd overall for the best states for retired veterans, with a high health care rating. Maryland ranked at 4th overall, with the best quality of life ranking in the study.

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The that appear to come from Facebook. The message says something along the lines of: “Recently, we discovered a breach of our Facebook Community Standards on your page. Your page has been disabled for violating Facebook Terms. If you believe the decision is incorrect, you can request a review and file an appeal at the link below.”

The message may also state that if you don’t act in the next 24 hours, Facebook will delete your account permanently.

The BBB says the email includes a link that appears to lead to Facebook’s website. If you look at it closely, it will have typos, email sender addresses that aren’t related to Facebook and, if you hover over the link in the email (without clicking on it), you will discover that it doesn’t point to Facebook’s website.

Consumer attorney Ira Rheingold, executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, says to simply take a deep breath and check to see who the email is from before doing anything.

“They’re using, theoretically, Facebook standards to scare people into giving up their link and to getting people access to their computers,” Rheingold said. “I think the people who are most vulnerable are those [who are the] least computer savvy and, often times, those are people who are more senior. Not always, but they are looking for people who are unsophisticated and who might fall victim to these scams.”

The BBB said another version of this Facebook phishing scam targets Facebook business pages. The scam threatens to deactivate the account due to a Terms of Service or Community Standard violation.

This time, the message looks like it may come from Meta Business Support and requires the administrator to confirm the account by clicking a link, or it will be permanently deleted.

Once you click the link, you’ll likely be taken to what appears to an official-looking page and prompts you to complete a form to appeal the policy violation. You’ll then be asked for your login email, phone number, name and other details.

The page will ask you to confirm your password when you hit submit. If you do, scammers will have all the information they need to hack your account, according to the BBB.

“Any kind of threat that makes people say, ‘oh my god, I’m going to get cut off from Facebook, I need to take action.’ I think that’s what they’re trying to do.” Rheingold said of the types of scams they are seeing.

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