A lot of families are spread out over the country. Your parents might live in one state, you’re located somewhere else, and your children are on the other side of the country. If this is the case, then arranging senior care for your elderly mom or dad can be a lot more difficult than if they were your next door neighbor.
Depending on the needs of your parent, you might be tempted to have them move closer to you. This is likely to be even more the case if senior care is a lot cheaper where you’re located. The unfortunate reality is that care will vary in price from state to state. In some places, it is far more expensive than others. States like Rhode Island, Wyoming, New Jersey, and Hawaii tend to have higher costs for seniors than other states. Luckily, great strides have been made in some locations, and those expensive costs are made up for in some areas with more resources, more comprehensive care, or other things. However, when it comes down to it, if your parent lives in one of these areas, you might be tempted to have them move closer to make care more realistic.
Adding to the confusion, some states have more inclusive Medicaid coverage than others. For example, New Jersey might be expensive, but they have more comprehensive Medicaid coverage when it comes to senior care. In-home care is not typically covered with this insurance, but it is in the state of New Jersey. Each state is slightly different in what is covered by insurance–both Medicaid and Medicare–and it can make picking a state a lot more confusing for families.
In some cases, moving away from states or cities that have expensive or inadequate care can be smart. This is a luxury for many though, especially if the individual in question is dealing with advanced disability or extreme cognitive decline. Moving somewhere else can be tough.
That’s why for the vast majority of seniors, moving to a new state for senior care is not an option. They don’t have the ability or the desire to move around to find care, especially when there’s a lot of uncertainty ahead. They’d rather stay close to their home and live their life in as normal of a manner as possible.
You or your loved one probably fits this description. If you’re located in the Bay Area, then we can help you to maintain your lifestyle as closely possible through in-home care. Our caregivers are trained to expertly care for seniors in their homes, allowing them to keep their lives as close to what they used to be as possible.
If you have questions about care, or paying for care, give us a call. Our staff is thoroughly trained in these areas and would love to sit with you and help answer those questions. We offer free consultations to help make this part of your care search as painless and easy as possible. Our goal is just to get you pointed in the right direction.
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