The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 7 out of 10 men and women will likely need long-term care. Around 59 percent of those people rely on unpaid care from family members. The others rely on paid caregivers to help around the home.
While the average length of care is three years, women tend to rely on caregivers longer than men. On average, women receive help from caregivers for almost 4 years while men are just over 2 years. Knowing this, how prepared is your family?
It Can Be a Financial Shock
A lot of families think a senior’s home care services will be paid for by health insurance. If a chronic health condition hits, it’s not common to get any coverage unless your parents have long-term care insurance. Alzheimer’s is a frighteningly chronic condition, and the rate keeps increasing. Medicare won’t cover much.
You need to prepare yourself for the cost of care services. Even if some coverage is offered, it’s likely just for a few weeks. You’ll be paying for elder care services out of pocket. That’s why many families end up providing unpaid care.
Your parents need to think about the finances and how much they could afford to pay on their retirement income. Once you have an idea, start looking at how much unpaid care family members and friends could provide each week. You can use this to pinpoint how many hours of professional care are needed. If it’s early enough, your parents can start saving up.
Questions You Should Ask
When you believe your mom or dad need elder care services, don’t procrastinate. The longer you wait, the higher the odds of something bad happening. Your mom may wander off and get last. Your dad might fall while trying to reach something on a ladder and suffer serious injuries.
Ask your close friends and family if any of them would want to spend time helping your parents around the home. Your cooking meals and doing their laundry, but they will likely need someone to drive them to medical offices and stores. They’ll need someone to help them keep the house clean. They may need help with personal care, too.
As people share how and how often they can help, jot a list. You’re looking for gaps. These gaps are the places where paid caregivers can help your parents with elder care services.
Talk to an elder care agency to see if they have recommendations for affording home care services. If there are local grants, they’d know of them or be able to refer you to someone at the Agency on Aging who can help. They can also work with you and find affordable home care that meets your parents’ needs.
If you or an aging loved one needs Elder Care in Granite Bay, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services.Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
Sources:
https://longtermcare.acl.gov/the-basics/how-much-care-will-you-need.html
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