Many public transportation authorities provide door-to-door, cost-saving rides for elderly and disabled people. If your elder lives in a retirement community, some transportation will be included in monthly rental. Special fees may apply for transportation to special events, but having alternative transportation available may help you build a solid case for your elder to give up car ownership.

Senior centers - Senior centers offer companionship and a variety of activities at little or no cost. Check to see what your local senior center has that might interest your elder.

Avoid hidden costs of long-term care

Assessments - Most elder care facilities require assessments. Such assessments usually take place before elder becomes a resident and are repeated periodically or following a serious illness or accident. Fees for most assessments range between $300 and $500. Sometimes, a doctor's assessment can substitute for facility's assessment.

You'll save money when you're alert to hefty assessment fees, a few costing upwards of one thousand dollars. Such fees fit neatly into category of "hidden costs."

A crafty variation is practice of performing initial assessments 30 days after elder becomes a resident. If you question this practice, you'll probably hear that an assessment would not be accurate until elder has settled fully into his new home. Watch out!

Most facilities will allow you to terminate your elder's lease without penalty within first 30 days of residency. However, if assessment increases monthly fees substantially (a likely outcome), you won't know about it until after you're locked into a contract. Often, by terminating a lease after 30 days you lay yourself open to sizable penalties.

Pharmacy Costs - A new twist in hidden costs is a facility's demand that medications be packaged in single dose packets. If you thought prescription costs were already high, get ready for heart-stopping sticker-shock when you see prices for individually packaged doses. This requirement can add as much as six thousand dollars each year to your long-term care costs. Ask specifically about this practice before you sign a contract.

Fees and Deposits - Fees are recurring charges for monthly services, while deposits are sums held by property owner to protect against potential damages. Pets, smokers, and wheelchair/cart users can damage a property, so charging fees or deposits in these special circumstances is reasonable.

Not so reasonable, however, is practice of charging both fees and deposits. It amounts to another hidden cost that you should reject.

Don't allow simplicity of these tactics to mislead you. While they are simple to carry out, savings they create could amount to tens of thousands of dollars every year.