I tried assisted living for $7,000 a month, but felt it was way too expensive. I bought a small home and now live on my own.
Lana Mountford lives independently in a small house after trying out assisted living. Lana Mountford Lana Mountford, 74, moved from assisted living to a two-bedroom house due to rising costs. Mountford manages health issues with part-time care after leaving a costly assisted living facility. Maintaining independence, Mountford plans to live in her Bellingham home despite health challenges. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Lana Mountford, 74, who lives in Bellingham, Washington. Mountford tried an assisted living facility that cost $7,000 a month, but it was too expensive and not a good fit. She purchased a small two-bedroom house in 2024 and lives independently with a part-time caregiver who charges $35 per hour. This interview is edited for length and clarity. I was married before I was 20 and divorced in 1986. I've been on my own pretty much since then. I don't have any children and didn't go to college. I've saved for retirement since my 20s a...
