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Long-Term Care assists a family member with
daily activities such as cooking,
bathing, or getting dressed
whether the care is provided at
home, in an assisted living
facility, a nursing
home, or in the community center.
The national average cost for care in
a nursing home is around $55,000 per
year and can be as high as $100,000
in some areas. Neither Medicare nor
major medical typically cover these
costs, so they are truly out-of-pocket
expenses.
Private Long-Term Care Insurance can
help you stay at home when you need
care. It can protect your assets, help
to ensure that you receive a high quality
of care, maintain your independence,
and avoid being a burden to your family
either physically or financially.
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What Is Long Term Care?
Long Term Care includes a wide range of medical and
support services for
people with a
degenerative
condition (E.G.
Parkinson’s, stroke,
etc.), a prolonged
illness (cancer) or
cognitive disorder
(Alzheimer’s). Long
Term Care can be
provided in many
settings including
nursing homes, your
own home, assisted
living facilities
and adult day care.
It is very important to choose the right facility for
yourself or your
loved ones. Everyone
has different needs
and desires, so no
one choice is right
for everyone. If you
are the person
requiring long term
care, be sure to
discuss your
preferences with
your family and
friends and do
research (or ask
them to help you do
research) on options
that are available
to you.
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Long term care may be required by anyone, not
just seniors. Care
is usually required
as a result of the
effects of aging,
either because a
person has become
physically unable to
carry out everyday
activities or
because they
experience cognitive
impairment, such as
Alzheimer's disease.
Other times,
long-term care may
be needed because of
chronic disease or
while recuperating
from an accident or
serious illness.
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Differences In LTC Facilities |
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No two nursing homes, residential health care
facilities, assisted
living residences or
comprehensive
personal care homes
are alike. Many
offer specialized
care not available
in other facilities.
Facilities also
differ significantly
in size, setting,
levels of care
available, and other
features that may be
important to you.
Home Care
Average Cost $19-$47 per hour*
The most common form of long term
care is home care,
or family care
giving. According to
the
American Association
of Retired People, "Family caregivers are the backbone of the
long-term care
system in the United
States. They provide
about 80 percent of
the care for people
who need help with
daily activities,
such as bathing and
dressing, taking
medications, and
paying bills. This
form of care is
generally unpaid
("informal" care
giving) compared to
care giving services
from paid workers
("formal" care
giving)."
If a friend or family member is
unable to act as
caregiver, or to
provide proper
medical care, it is
possible to receive
home care through an
agency or a private
nurse. The
Visiting Nurses
Association of
America, commonly known as the VNA, is a nationwide
resource for in-home
care.
If an individual only needs help with tasks such as
housework, meal
preparation, or
running errands,
there are Homemaker
services available,
often through the
same agencies that
offer home medical
assistance. The
average hourly rate
for home care is $47
for a licensed
practical nurse and
$18 for a home
health aide,
according to the
MetLife Market
Survey on Nursing
Home and Home Care
Costs 2002.
When taking care of a loved one at home, it is important
to make some
adjustments. It may
be necessary to
adjust your
schedule, your diet,
and perhaps even the
house itself. If
your loved one is
physically disabled
or in a wheelchair,
you may have to
create extra space
in the house by
rearranging
furniture, moving
the person to an
easily accessible
location in the
house, or purchasing
equipment to help
with every day
activities. If
stairs are
unavoidable, you may
consider a special
chair that will
carry your loved one
up and down the
stairs. You may also
want to purchase
special chairs for
the shower and the
toilet to make
activities easier
for the person you
care for.
The costs of having a loved one at home are difficult to
measure. If the
person being cared
for has medical
conditions or
disabilities that
require extra
attention or
equipment, costs
will be raised.
Sometimes, outside
assistance, such as
the home care
services described
above, may be
needed.
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Assisted Living
Average cost $2,000-$25,000 per month*
If home care is too expensive, too time consuming, or
impossible for other
reasons, an
individual can
consider an assisted
living facility.
Seniors often begin
to explore Assisted
Living when they are
no longer able to
continue living
independently, but
they do not yet need
nursing care on a
daily basis.
Residents may suffer
from Alzheimer's or
other memory
disorders. Other
residents may need
assistance with
bathing, dressing or
mobility.
The costs of assisted living facilities vary widely.
Costs vary from one
facility to another
and within a
facility depending
on the room size and
type of services
required by a
resident. The
national median cost
for assisted living
is between $2,000
and $2,500 a month,
according to the
AARP. This cost is
generally less than
the cost of the
combination of
housing and home
health care services
or nursing home
care. However, the
amount of services
provided is
typically less than
that at a nursing
home.
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Nursing Homes
Average Cost $4,654 per month*
Nursing homes are not the favored option of people
needing long term
care, but sometimes
they are necessary.
When a person needs
full-time care,
especially medical
care, a nursing home
is the best option.
It is important to
shop around until
you or your loved
one finds a
comfortable
facility.
The most important thing about
nursing homes is
security. It is
vital to perform a
background check on
the nursing home,
visit the facility,
and interview some
of the staff. It is
also a good idea to
visit the facility
without notifying
the staff to see how
they operate when
visitors are not
expected. Try to
assess whether the
facility's staff are
working for their
patients' best
interests, or their
own.
Remember, if something appears to be wrong or if you feel
uncomfortable at a
facility, then find
a different one. If
you experience or
mistreatment, report
it immediately and
remove yourself or
your loved one from
the facility. If
your friend or
relative is at a
nursing home, ask
them about their
treatment and their
experiences. Make
sure that they
communicate any
questions, concerns,
or discomforts.
The costs associated with nursing home range widely.
They depend on
location, amenities,
and extra services.
The national average
for nursing home
care is $4,654 a
month, or $55,848 a
year. In 2002, the
national average
cost for a nursing
home was $57,600 per
year. Nursing homes
in the Northeast
United States
appeared to be the
most expensive, with
an average of
$76,800 per year and
Southern nursing
homes were the least
expensive, averaging
$46,000 per year.
Unfortunately, these figures are steadily rising every
year due to higher
health costs,
decreasing insurance
coverage, and
inflation. The
national average in
2002 was over
$10,000 higher than
1999's national
average of $47,463
per year.
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