In It For The Long Haul – Long-term care: Homecare
It’s not surprising with recent medical advances that people are living longer and longer. For many seniors this longevity can bring its’ challenges, just because we live longer, doesn’t always mean we are living healthier lives. Many seniors find themselves living longer in the comfort of their own home but coping with illness and disability. One possible solution to assist with this challenge is to purchase long-term care insurance. In this blog, I’m going to be discussing long-term care insurance and how it has helped one of the families we serve.
This insurance helps fill in the gaps for services that primary health insurance plans such as Medicare and Managed Care do not cover. Long-term care insurance helps cover the cost of custodial care, such as when you need someone to come into your home to help bathe and dress your loved one. Long Term Care Insurance is also used to assist the elderly with daily living and assistive services.
Our family story starts with our client who is a young, spry young lady of 101 and her daughter, the lovely Joan, who is just hitting her prime at 80. Joan’s mother was coming home from hospice care and Joan knew she needed help at home, because her mother was going to need to be washed and dressed and fed, as well as being turned daily so as not to get bed sores; this was going to prove too taxing for Joan who was also caring for her husband, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
“They are like family to us, after having them in our house for the last two years, I love the fact that they talk to me and check on me as well. They have even reminded me to take my medication.” jokingly laughs. – Joan P.
Like many families today, Joan’s family is spread out. Though some of her children live nearby, they have to work and are not able to take on the role of full-time caretaker for their parents or grandmother; this is another reason why long-term care insurance is a great investment. We all like to think that our children will care for us, but let’s be honest, that represents a considerable expense. Even for families that have to have two incomes, it’s not always feasible to take on the care of a parent, grandparent. With Long Term Care insurance, at least your family can relax a little, not having to come out-of-pocket to pay for caregivers, knowing that care is being handled and provided by the trained professionals at Advantage Private Home Care.
When you need to utilize your long-term care insurance, you will have to show that your loved one has two or more daily living complications. For example, that they are unable to perform two daily living activities on their own, such as bathing, dressing, or preparing a meal or that they suffer from a cognitive impairment. In Joan’s case, we provide two caretakers that come in and handle things for her mother and her husband; this takes the burden off Joan’s shoulders and allows her to enjoy her time with her husband and mother rather than always having to see to both of their needs.
If you are considering long-term care insurance, the earlier you buy, the better the price. Buying in before the age of 50 will get you a better rate. As a homecare provider, I can tell you each plan is different, and you need to do your research. A couple of examples: You would want to know if there is any delay when it comes to utilizing the plan, such as a 90-day introductory period or if you can use right away. Second, you want to see what the daily dollar maximum is on each plan. If you have a loved one who has a policy, and you think they need to utilize services that Advantage offers, just reach out to us. Our policy experts help you open claims, verify exact home care benefits, submit claims on your behalf, and do this all for families as a courtesy of working with Advantage Private Home Care.
“By having Advantage Private Home Care come in and assist us, it has given me one less thing that I have to worry about.” -Joan P.