Are there assisted living short-term or month-to-month available?

The only thing that I can think of is asking nearby assisted living facilities if they offer respite care. Some facilities offer temporary accommodation for people.

It’s usually only for a couple of weeks, so caregivers will be able to take a vacation.

Other than that I don’t think they offer a six month lease.

Best wishes to you

No, I don't know of an ALF with a contract. And no, no one ever asked my brother how long he would stay. And many did NOT stay. Some went home, some moved across country and some moved to another facility nearby. He will pay for any time he is there. Most ALF are full and have no problem staying that way.

Now your own ALF may vary, as each is a private business, but they should explain ALL to you upon entering. The question never came up for a moment. And in fact my brother hoped to move back to independent living, however unlikely that goal was to take place.

It depends on the facility but it would be preferable to not have a lease with numerous months attached as one never knows the amount of time a resident may reside there. They may have to transfer to a higher lever of care. Not to be morbid but they could suddenly pass on. Most facilities require the month to be paid which is fair.

Surprisingly the previous AL facility my mother was in which was a for profit one reimbursed us for a portion of the month as my mother left on the 10th of the month. They must have been able to fill the space. Generally if a resident has a hospital stay the payment for the room still has to be paid in full if it is likely they will return to the room.

I would also advise if possible to avoid facilities which require a significant non refundable deposit simply to be put on the waiting list or even a similar deposit upon entrance into residency.

Yes there are. After my wife fell and broke her arm they put her in a facility for rehab. It had both short term and long term patients there. I will say beware it was just my experience but it was the worst place ever my wife actually got worse. I think places that do shorter stays may not be as good. That is why they have a high turnover and take short term people.

We had several that offered respite care on our area, anywhere from a week to months, with several wanting at least a two-week or longer stay. It is their hope, I think, that you will want to stay. Was there a second-choice facility for your dad? You might call them and ask.

Also, our experience has been that the people running the ALF that we looked at were very kind and compassionate. They seemed to genuinely want to help our situation, and did not seem to be only in it for the money. Even with a reservation elsewhere, they might accommodate your dad anyway.

It is called respite care, but it may cost more. Your problem is good reason why the process should start much earlier before funds run out

Many facilities will do short term stays. The idea is that you would decide to stay rather than move.
6 months is a bit long for what might be a Respite stay.
Call a few facilities and ask.
Since it is Private Pay they should be more willing.

Yes and yes month-to-month, however some wanted a 3 month commitment minimum.

Any place that provides respite services is month-to-month payment, however, there might be a limit to how long someone could use respite.

One of the places in my state actually suggested that I enroll my Mom as a permanent resident, then take her out when I was ready to return home. This is because they charge extra per month for respite, that they don't charge if the person is a longer term resident. They also had some services that I did not need that was included in the cost for respite, that could be waived if my Mom was a longer term resident (e.g. laundry service).

To my knowledge, AL is always month-to-month. You should be able to put him somewhere and move him later with no issue.

I wouldn't necessarily advertise that plan to the people who run the first place you're putting him in, though. They can be told it didn't work out when you decide to move him later.

It varies from facility to facility. I have been collecting information about similar kinds of stays at facllities in my own area. Some welcome short stays and "try-outs" of their facility; some require a minimum stay of a week or a month for which you pay whether you stay the whole time or not; some do not offer temporary stays at all. Ask around.