In my last blog, I discussed a number of Caregiver Resources that are FREE and available through my Home Helpers® website. One of these valuable resources is called, How to Pay for In-Home Care, and it offers helpful information about determining the cost of care, managing the cost of care, Medicare Advantage, Veterans benefits, long-term care insurance and more.
I was thinking about Long-Term Care Insurance. This is something that can pay for in-home care services for seniors. Of course, for seniors now, this protection was more than likely purchased in their 50’s or early 60’s. In some cases, seniors don’t remember if they have this coverage, or they don’t know how to activate it.
Moreover, there are also seniors who choose to hold onto their benefits until it is too late. For example, if they have a set value with a lifetime benefit of $500,000, they may be afraid to start using it, because they don’t want to outlive it. The result is they hold onto it for too long, they don’t activate it, and then they pass away before they can use its complete value.
Long-term care insurance recognizes a variety of services that standard health insurance does not cover. These include in-home care assistance with activities of daily living, like personal care services (bathing, dressing, toileting); grocery shopping and meal preparation; and even specialized care for people with chronic medical conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
The majority of long-term care insurance policies will cover these services for seniors in their home, but also in an adult day care, an assisted living facility, and a nursing home.
“Nearly 70% of 65-year-old people will need long-term care services or support, according to 2020 data from the Administration for Community Living, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Women typically need care for an average of 3.7 years, while men require it for 2.2 years,” according to NerdWallet.
Health insurance policies do not cover long-term care, and Medicare doesn’t, either. Medicare only covers short nursing home stays, or limited amounts of skilled nursing home health care or rehabilitation services. It does not pay for in-home care with a highly-trained caregiver or help with activities of daily living.
If you or a senior family member is covered under long-term care insurance, the policy may pay for in-home care by someone in the family, but you’ll have to examine the details. For example, if the caregiver lives in the same residence as the senior needing care, that may not be covered. All insurance policies are different, so it warrants closer examination.
I am able to help seniors and their family members with the activation of their long-term care insurance and the navigation through the entire process. I offer a FREE Consultation to discuss how a Home Helpers® compassionate caregiver can address specific needs and create a personalized, comprehensive care plan to make life a little easier for you or your senior loved one.
Home Helpers® proudly provides assistance to male and female seniors in Clearwater, Dunedin, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, New Port Richey, Trinity, Port Richey, Hudson and surrounding areas. Contact me today to learn more about the many services offered through Home Helpers® We are Making Life Easier℠. 727.942.2539
Source:
NerdWallet
