Prineville man frustrated by soaring assisted living costs for 93-year-old mother – KTVZ

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Doug Kastner’s 93-year-old mom has been in an assisted living facility for the past four years, and he says the price has gone up every year.

The Prineville resident says the initial price per month was $1,484. Now, he says, it’s $3,960.

His mother is a veteran who is blind and has onset dementia. She receives VA and disability payments, but the rest of the bill is paid from Kastner’s retirement fund, and from funds his father has from selling their ranch.

Kastner says he calls state agencies for assistance with their financial issues, but he often is passed around to different people in different branches, and has yet to find a good solution.

He believes the entire system of assisted living has a problem.

“I don’t know if anybody is really happy with assisted living, in this state, as it’s operated today.,” Kastner said.

Noah Chast will have more from Kastner and speak with a representative from the Oregon Long-Term Care Ombudsman, tonight on NewsChannel 21 @ Five.