Home care can be essential for seniors who find themselves in this challenging situation. Obtaining the services of a home care aide or home health care aide can enable seniors to retain their independence and age in place while still having access to the assistance and care that they need. Home care can make aging in place more manageable and safe for older adults of all ability levels. This means they can stay close to family and friends, care for the home they’ve built up over the years, and maintain their independence. With the right aid, seniors can be well-supported while avoiding institutional care altogether.
Take note of the living spaces, common areas, dining facilities, and outdoor spaces. Seek out testimonials or success stories shared by residents and their families.
Additionally, many assisted living facilities offer sliding-scale payment plans for individuals in need. Like adult day centers, respite care options differ significantly in terms of pricing and availability—but many organizations offer overnight or extended weekend stays for short periods.
How to Get Started With Receiving Care at Home
Understand the pricing structure, including any additional fees or services not covered in the base cost. Evaluate your loved one’s financial situation and determine the affordability of different senior care options. Look for senior care options that offer activities and programs aligned with their preferences. In addition to your own savings, you may qualify for assistance from the government in paying for senior care.
Family caregivers may also seek home care services as a respite to make caregiving more manageable. Hiring a home care provider may be too expensive, especially when multiple services are needed. For instance, if a senior needs regular meal preparation and assistance with bathing and dressing, hiring an individual or company to provide those services may not be cost-effective. On the other hand, other individuals believe that having a home care provider is beneficial because it allows seniors to remain home while getting the help they need. Additionally, having a dedicated caregiver often results in a better quality of life for seniors who need multiple services. Furthermore, research has shown that having the same caregiver on a regular basis can increase communication between the caregiver and senior because there is already an established level of trust.
Assessing Your Dependent’s Financial Needs
Let’s embark on this journey together and ensure your loved one receives the care and support they deserve. Paid caregivers’ fees vary widely, based on their level of skill, the services they provide, and where the elderly person lives. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) lists median average national costs for a caregiver at $20 an hour. Older people with chronic or debilitating conditions are likely to need significantly more attention or hands-on care than those with minor physical issues. Memory problems often play a role in establishing both a need for care and the level of care that an individual requires.
In addition, you may have personal care coverage with a Medicare Advantage plan from private insurance, provided you can find an agency that accepts it. Before starting any home care plan, ensure that the agency provides you with a breakdown of the charges, which services are covered by Medicare, and how much you’ll pay out of pocket. With a caregiver living in a senior’s home with them, they can provide hours of uninterrupted care and will be present for any emergency situation. These caregivers can help seniors start their day, end their day, and with anything in between.
However, if you know that your loved one gets along well with an independent provider and you trust them, going that route may work for you. Adults age 62 and older have the option of taking out a reverse mortgage to help finance long-term care, or any other expenses. These loans convert part of the value of one’s home to cash, so they are essentially a cash advance on the home’s equity. Oftentimes, the money received from a reverse mortgage loan is not taxed. This can give seniors some liquid cash to pay for long-term care without needing to sell their home prematurely. Though sometimes less expensive than comparable residential care, home care can be costly. Below, we explore the cost of in-home care and financial assistance options that can help seniors and their families cover the cost of care.
Additionally, their kids are moving further away, leaving seniors without a built-in care network. There are few, if any, good insurance-covered, affordable or scalable options to meet the needs of this aging population—in everything from housing to services to care.
Read more about Senior care here. When considering senior care options, it is important to determine the senior’s ability to complete activities of daily living, as well as any other signs that might indicate a senior requires some level of assistance. It’s also important to note that not all care options are appropriate for all persons. The decision as to what type of care is most appropriate is a very personal one based on the senior in need of care, his or her loved ones, and the unique circumstances. On the other hand, if a senior’s level of functioning is so poor that 24/7 supervision and assistance is necessary, a nursing home may be most appropriate option. Another senior care option for family members serving as primary caregivers is respite care.
