long term care insurance – Emily's Home Care, LLC

According to the the United States Health and Human Services Department, 70 percent of all people in the US over the age of 65 will need an average of two years assisted care. As you can see, based on the data, there is a high probability you or your loved one will need some kind of personal assistance as you age.

Personal care services average around $20.00 per hour depending on your region and the companies providing the service. To give you an example, just four hours of personal care services at home, seven days a week, costs around $560.00 a week, or $2,240.00 a month. Assisted living costs an average $4,300 per month.

What Is LTCI?

Long Term Care Insurance is a particular kind of insurance specifically designed to help you pay for personal care services rendered at home, or in a facility. It can mean the difference between being able to have professional long term care, or needing to rely on your family and friends for care. It is important to note that Medicare and health insurance usually do not cover long term care. Purchasing LTCI means you will have choices regarding your independence and dignity as you age.

What Does LTCI Cover?

LTCI is specifically designed to cover activities of daily living. Generally speaking, these are the activities or personal care you need every day (think bathing, dressing, toileting, etc.). At least 2 ADLs are required for most LTCI policies to start to reimburse for care.

Generally, the earlier you get LTC Insurance, the less the premium will cost. The older you are when you buy the policy, assuming you can still get approved by underwriters, the more it will cost. Monthly premiums will vary, but you might expect to pay from $150-$200 per month depending on your health and other factors at the time the policy is purchased.

Who Is Likely To Use LTCI?

People who:

Are Aging and need extra assistance with ADLs
Live alone or who do not have family or friends able to help
Have poor nutrition and who lack physical exercise or fitness
Have effects of long-term illness such as stroke, COPD, dementia, Alzheimers, etc.

LTCI and Choices:

There are many Long Term Care Insurance companies offering different plans at different premiums. Researching them BEFORE you need care will save you time and money. To get started, you can visit Long-Term Care Information at: https://www.doi.gov

It can be difficult to decide if your elderly loved one needs help at home. Usually there is a slow decline, and if your family member is very independent, it can be a long time, if ever, that extra help is accepted. This is the reason it often takes a medical crisis before the individual accepts assistance.

This article will address the more obvious and serious needs that signal when an individual requires extra assistance. An important concept to keep in mind is essential activities of daily living. These activities will help guide you in determining if assistance is in fact needed, and how often it will need to be performed.

Activities of daily Living (ADLs) are all the tasks an individual does for him/herself each day in order to maintain a safe and healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, these tasks can become overwhelming or impossible for some people of advanced age and/or those exhibiting physical or mental decline. The list can be exhaustive, so the items below concentrate on the instrumental, or most important, ADLs. To live at home safely an individual MUST be able to do all of these essential tasks him/herself, or have someone available and willing to assist.

Can your loved one perform all of the following tasks safely and thoroughly without assistance?

Instrumental ADLs

Bathing and Dressing
Toileting needs (all)
Ambulation (walking in the home with or without an assistive device) and open access to bathroom, bedroom, kitchen etc.
Ability to procure all medications and take as prescribed
Access and ability get and/or prepare all meals with nutritious food
Cognitive ability and access to phone and/or emergency call button for reaching 9-1-1 in an emergency

These instrumental or IADLs are called just that because without the ability to perform them, they can lead to a serious decline in health.

As long as the appropriate assistance can be delivered by a friend or family member, etc., and all IADLs can be met, the individual can remain at home. Keep in mind that tasks relating to food and medication are usually the first IADLs that elderly people need assistance with.

Serious problems arise when the person needing help with IADLs does not have someone willing or able to assist. Sometimes it can be unsafe, unwelcome, or downright exhausting for a loved one to assist with some IADLs (such as bathing or toileting). This is often the crossroads where a home care agency or caregiver is brought in.

In these situations, finding a great caregiver, deciding if home care is truly an option, and knowing how often care is needed, can be difficult. Planning ahead and being prepared when this situation happens will save you and your family headaches and heartaches in the future.

Please call Emily’s Home Care at 336-722-4300 if you would like to get more information regarding home care or other assistance options.