Elder care can cause us to make some tough decisions. Many choices that we will make in our lifetimes can be difficult, and when the happiness and health of a loved one is at stake, they can become even more difficult to think through. However, in these cases, the tough decisions are some of the most important that we will ever make.
What are some of the tough decisions that you’re making when it comes to the care of an older family member? For most people, at least one of the worries when it comes to senior care revolves around finances. People are living longer, and there’s often a good chance that people will outlive their savings. When this occurs, the best nursing homes–or any other type of long term care–become almost impossible to pay for. A lot of this has to do with a flawed senior care system overall, but that doesn’t make it any less difficult to cope with. In the meantime, we are still responsible for helping our loved ones get the help that they need.
If paying for senior care is one of your tough decisions right now, please make the following considerations before you despair. First, the average cost of a year in a nursing home is now $91,000, compared to the cost of a year of in-home care, which is about $45,000. When you go with in-home care, you can instantly afford more than twice as many years of care as you could before. For those seniors that have fewer needs, or non-medical needs that should be addressed, this is a more than adequate way to address them, and it’s much more affordable.
Second, consider the fact that the average length of stay in a nursing home is three years, and that the average savings of a retiree is about $100,000 when they first retire. It doesn’t sound good to begin with, and then you throw in the fact that it could be ten years or more before they need to even start thinking about getting care. Suddenly, it seems impossible to pay for. That’s why things like long term care insurance are helpful, but that can also be expensive if purchased late in life. This is why it’s a good thing that Medicare is rethinking the way they approach senior care. These things are a small help, but in the grand scheme of things, they can make the difference between affording great professional care, and having to do it all on your own in a far less quality manner.
Finally, don’t hesitate to ask for help. If you have friends or family members that can help guide you with your search for better senior care, ask them. If you know you need professional care for a loved one, consult with a doctor to see what needs need to be met. Look for free consultations with any professional in-home care services that are nearby to see if they are a good fit. Getting care is tough, but you don’t need to make it tougher on yourself by trying to do everything by yourself.
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