Definition

Long-term care is the care provided to a person who is unable to function without help over an extended period. Long-term care is intended to help a person live as he or she is now, rather than trying to improve or correct medical problems.

Measuring Need

The basic terminology for measuring the need for long-term care is - ADL's (Activities of Daily Living) - A person's need is determined based on the number of ADL's they cannot perform without assistance. ADL's include such activities as bathing, eating, dressing, and moving on and off the toilet.

Types Of Long-Term Care

• Home Health Care - Individuals without medical expertise provide meals, housekeeping, transportation, and companionship.
  
  
• Respite Care - This in home care offers a family partial services. Families often use respite care as a transition service as they explore other options of long-term care.
  
  
• Adult Day Care - A person is taken to a site during the day. The site provides personal and skilled care, as well as recreational services. Private companies and local governments offer this service for as low as $15 a day.
  
  
• Nursing Facilities - This care takes place in a residential facility for persons who need daily medical care.
  
  
• Assisted Living Facility - This care takes place in living quarters that provide levels of personal care based on the individual needs of the residents.
  
  
• Care Management Services - This care involves a professional entering the home and making evaluations of the needs of the individual. The professional advises on the best course of action.Durable Medical Power Of Attorney
  
  
• Hospice - A hospice facility helps alleviate the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual discomforts for people in the last phases of life due to terminal illness.

Cost Of Long-Term Care

The cost varies according to the type of care provided.

• A nursing home averages approximately $50,000 per year.
  
  
• An assisted living arrangement may cost only slighted more than apartment rent if needed services are minimal.
  
  
• A visit from a nurse 3 times a week for a year averages $20,000.
  
  
• " A visit from a home health aide averages $10,000

Funding For Long-Term Care

Private Health Insurance typically has a very limited benefit for skilled nursing care, providing coverage up to 30 or 60 days.

Two options people seek for financial help are Medicare and Medicaid.

Three aspects of Medicare people need to realize:

• Medicare provides very limited coverage for skilled care after a hospital stay of at least 3 days.
  
  
• Medicare provides no coverage for custodial care.
  
  
• Medicare Supplement Insurance is intended to pay for gaps in Medicare coverage, but does not extend to long-term care costs.

The long-term care program provided by the government is Medicaid. Medicaid is essentially a welfare type program, which has some very serious negatives.

• The covered individual can have no significant personal assets. A person must exhaust money from assets before qualifying for Medicaid.
  
  
• A person loses much control over health care decisions.
  
  
• Most services are provided in a nursing home rather than in a residential setting.

Another option for funding is a Long-Term Care Insurance Policy. These policies come in a variety of plans and vary according to the age and health of the insured. If a person has assets to protect, this option needs to be explored.

Printer Friendly Version