There’s no doubt about it; the current way that our healthcare system approaches elder care is severely flawed. Many people that do not have serious medical issues end up spending way too much time in a hospital or in a nursing home, just because that is what their insurance covers. Both of these types of care are valid types of senior care. However, they are both extremely expensive, and the high level of care that is provided in these institutions is not needed for many of the people that find themselves here.
There have been many stories about an elderly loved one that needs assistance, but their insurance policies will not pay for the appropriate type of care, but will cover something that is twice as expensive, or more. It ends up being a big drain of taxpayer dollars because the coverage is much higher in cost than what’s actually required. This happens because most elderly people are reliant upon Medicare and Medicaid–which are both funded by federal and state tax dollars. These public insurances serve a very important purpose, but the way that they approach senior care currently needs to be revised.
What’s more, doctors will often send elderly patients to the Emergency Room for tests when they exhibit health problems, even though this means long, uncomfortable waits, exposure to even more illness, and a lot of stress. This should be avoidable, but again, it’s something that insurance will cover more readily than other types of tests and treatments, so instead of being used as a last resort under extreme circumstances, it is sometimes what is used first.
If you are on a fixed income, there’s not an easy way to avoid this. Because Medicare will cover certain types of care and not others, it is easy to go with the ones that will be cheapest for you. This is not the fault of the people that go this route, but rather that of our country’s elder care approach. Some states, like New Jersey, are changing this by incorporating in-home care into their state’s Medicaid and Medicare coverage, but it is slow going, and there is no perfect solution yet. Self pay for senior care, either through a private long term care insurance policy or simply by out of pocket, can better handle this, but not everyone has the means to do so. However, by going with in-home care, you can take a low cost approach and make sure that your loved one is getting great care. There are even things that you can do to help with costs, especially if your elderly loved one is a veteran. There are a lot of senior advocacy groups out there, and all you need to do to gain their assistance is to search around. Start with your community’s Social Services department. If they are unable to help you, they will at least be able to point you in the right direction. It’s a good place to start, even if your family doesn’t qualify for public assistance.
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