As your parents grow older, it’s natural for you to worry about how they will get along from day to day. This is especially true as they become more feeble, forgetful and more vulnerable to accidents and injuries making it more evident that they need senior care.
Now as a responsible son or daughter you may want to take care of the problem yourself, but often this isn’t practical or even possible. So what should you do to make sure your elderly mom or dad gets the elder care they need?
Traditionally, the solution to this situation is for your elderly loved one to go to a nursing home. More and more people are now opting for in home care instead. More people have realized that there are benefits to home care than to have elderly parents live in a nursing home.
Here are some reasons why:
- One on one care. Your parent will receive the attention they need. The caregiver will only have one person to put all the focus on. There will be no “wait their turn” for another aide.
- Your parent will always be more comfortable in their own home. Who would not want to age “in place”?
- Seniors who stay at home tend to live longer than those who are in a nursing home. Remaining at home will allow for mentally and physically healthier loved ones.
- In home care also promotes the healing process.
- In home care allows for services to be customized. The “one size fits all” approach is not healthy for clients.
- Nursing homes will be more expensive than in home care.
- In home care will allow your loved ones to enjoy the freedom and independence that they were unwilling to give up. This allows them to still go out and socialize. Many nursing homes have restrictive rules against this.
- At home, your parents will enjoy the meals they actually like and can even help bake or prepare them with the caregiver. This allows them to feel useful each day.
As our loved ones decline, families are often torn between keeping their loved one home or choosing a nursing home or assisted living facility. Let us touch on a few important points.
A nursing home is paid for by Medicare for the first 100 days. A 3 day hospital stay is required to get into a nursing home. After the 100 days if a person still needs care they will need to self pay or have applied for Medicaid. Medicaid, if approved, will pay the difference left after the persons pension, if applicable and the persons social security have paid monthly. You are only allowed to have $1500.00 before you can apply for Medicaid. There is a look back period with Medicaid making sure all monies have been used for care.
One of the road blocks our agency runs in to is "I hate to pay for home care because I will run out of money if mom or dad need to go to a nursing home." We explain to the prospective client that funds will go no matter what, by either being paid to the nursing home after 100 days or being paid for in home care. People want to age in place at home. Why place a loved one in a nursing home before trying to keep them home up until it is no longer possible. The funds used to pay for in home care will count towards your spend down to the $1500.00 that you need to apply for Medicaid. Our agency has been able to keep loved ones in home for years before taking the step into a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Our agency has an Attorney on staff to answer any questions you may have. Nursing home costs in 2019 are anywhere between $82,000 and $92,000 a year. When you look at this compared to in home care there is NO reason to not choose in home care.
Call today for a free consultation!