As we age, more access to health care will be needed, not less. Simple statistics illustrates this point for us. The longer we’re alive, the more likely we are to get sick, be in an accident, develop a chronic disease, or otherwise become less healthy and more likely to need long term care of one sort or another. Because of this, it just makes sense that the older we get, the more protections that we have in place to keep us healthy and happy.
This concept is easily applied to our elderly loved ones. The older they get, the more likely they are to need help. Things like nursing homes and assisted living facilities become more and more necessary as our parents age because the older they are, the more likely they are to need help. Again, this is a very basic idea.
There is a lot of talk out there about changes to insurance policies, and frankly, this scares a lot of people. But it also can provide us with a lesson to take to heart for the future. We don’t know what the political climate of our country is going to be like in twenty years, but we do know that senior care will be much more needed then than it is now. Preparing for your own future while helping the elderly loved ones you have now can be a good way to ensure that your family members continue to have the high quality of care and love that they deserve as they go through the aging process.
Here’s the bottom line. A majority of elderly individuals struggle to pay for their care, both health and senior care. Whether we like it or not, Medicaid (or, here in California, Medi-Cal) pays for more than half of the long term care costs in the United States. Medicare pays for little to no care of this sort, leaving many families with few choices. Out of pocket costs add up over time, and the truth is that this ends up eroding a lot of families bank accounts.
What’s the best way to pay for senior care? That’s a tough question, and there isn’t one good answer. Everyone needs to approach the question a little differently. Luckily, there are programs out there other than Medicare and Medicaid that can help with costs. There’s long term care insurance, the VA, and many other groups dedicated to helping out in some capacity. There are also other types of care than the nursing home, such as assisted living or in-home care, that are much more affordable, and are designed to keep seniors healthy and happy.
If you are getting ready for a loved one to begin senior care, we encourage you to speak with a professional so that you can know exactly what your choices are, what the costs are likely to be, and to come up with ideas for how to cover those costs. If you want to learn more, you can call us here at Paradise In-Home Care to schedule a free consultation to see if we may be of service to you.
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