Live Free Home Health Care, LLC. - Bristol, New Hampshire

Monday, March 22, 2010

What you didn’t know about long-term care insurance

You’ve heard the rumblings….health care reform….Medicare misery…and the expected senior care upheaval of the boomer generation, the so called “silver tsunami”. Perhaps now is the time to take a second look at a long-term care insurance policy. What you might not have known is that long-term care insurance does often cover the cost of in-home care services. In fact, policies are now more flexible than ever. Take a look at this informative article on today’s long-term insurance policies in Forbes.

And with taxes coming due soon, did you know you could deduct a portion of the cost of that long term care insurance?  Recently, LTC Financial Partners, a long-term care insurance agency, noted that consumers can get a break in their federal taxes if they pay for long-term care insurance. The amount they can get depends on a person's age. View the article here.

To learn more about long-term care planning, view these resources.

Tags:   eldercare, home care, insurance, long-term care

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Monday, March 15, 2010

So what’s the big deal about home health care, anyway?

It used to be that when the term “home health care” was brought up, visions of doctors with little black bags ringing your doorbell would spring to mind. But of course home health care nowadays encompasses a wide array of services and benefits to individuals.

Did you know that seniors who go to nursing homes or other assisted type facilities are usually not in need of complex medical care but rather are having difficulty taking care of their personal needs…what the industry calls “Activities of Daily Living”? This is the foundation of modern home care….assisting individuals with their activities of daily living. This includes helping people with bathing, dressing, meals, transportation, housekeeping, etc. But that’s not all home care is good for. Check out a few of these other benefits of in-home care and find out what all the fuss is about:

- Home care services are delivered one-on-one, assuring more private attention than in a nursing home or a facility. There is no “waiting for one’s turn” when care is needed. And home care is personalized to the needs of the family and the individual on any given day, whether that need is as simple as company and conversation or more complex, as in needs with personal care.

- A home caregiver can be effective in promoting and ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Home caregivers produce healthy and nutritional meals that appeal to the individual and can also keep a close eye on the amount of food eaten.

- In addition, a personalized daily exercise program can be implemented and followed through, with the added safety of a qualified professional being present.

- In-home care fosters dignity and independence, important ingredients for a happy lifestyle. Home care (in particular, private pay home care) can offer personalized care tailored to the needs of the family and individual on any given day, whether the needs are as simple as companionship or more complex, such as personal care.

- With the additional benefit of accompaniment on transportation to and from various appointments, social activities or errands, home care allows families more free time together.

For more benefits of home care, click here.

Tags:   better quality of life, home care, home health care, long-term care

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Monday, March 08, 2010

Studies report home care is more affordable and promotes more healing than a nursing home

According to the Genworth 2009 Annual Cost of Care Survey, on average, the annual cost to stay in a nursing home in New Hampshire is $90k; the annual cost for home care, however, is $51k. Besides the cost savings, for those that are able to remain in their own homes, it can mean a great deal. Familiar surroundings can be therapeutic, and they will have more control over the little decisions in life that mean so much.

There is no “one size fits all” solution when it comes to long-term care, but a good rule across the board is that eight hours a day or less of home care will be less expensive than moving elsewhere. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that nursing home care and other types of long-term care are not covered by Medicare.

Home care promotes healing – research demonstrates that patients heal more quickly and comfortably at home versus in a hospital or nursing home setting and there is significantly less chance of re-hospitalization when recuperation is at home. (Avalere Study 2008)

Deciding what type of long-term care loved ones need when they are no longer able to live totally independently is an important decision that should not be considered lightly. But there are many instances when home care is a perfectly appropriate and less expensive care choice than nursing home placement or a permanent move to a retirement or assisted living facility. For more information on this topic, click here.

Tags:   better quality of life, eldercare, home care, long-term care

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Saturday, March 06, 2010

The Benefits of Home Care

It’s a common question I hear….is home care going to be the best choice for my parent or my grandparent or my spouse?

Although a 2009 AARP article reports that a vast majority (89%) of Americans age 50+ prefer to remain in their own homes as long as they can, it’s never easy to navigate the daunting choices of long-term care.

Here are a few questions to consider when looking at home care as a long-term care option:

1. What is the culture of the care recipient? Does that culture value family and elders, and will that culture rally around the frail person to assist with care needs?
2. What is the financial situation of the care recipient? Can he or she afford to pay out of pocket for care? Is there a family member or friend who might want to assume the responsibility for paying for care at home?
3. What are the formal and informal support systems of the care recipient?
4. What is the level of care needed now and what is the prognosis for future care needs?
5. What is the mental status of the care recipient? (It is easier to care for an alert but frail person at home than it is to care for a cognitively impaired but physically active person.)
6. Can the frail person get up and down out of a chair or bed? (Needing assistance in toileting means that care is needed constantly and will be charged hourly, 24/7. However, if the person is able to get out of a chair or bed, then the care needed is sporadic and home care should be considered first.)

Considering these questions will give you a head start in determining whether home care can be a viable solution for your situation; however, it’s usually best to also consult a professional for further advice. You can also check out the links on this page for more information.

Tags:   home care, long-term care

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