The most rapid population increase over the next decade will be among persons 85 years of age and older, according to the U.S. Department of Health.
If you’re faced with the challenge today of seeking long-term care for an elderly relative, consider your options before choosing a care provider.
“Home care is a simple phrase that describes a broad and complex range of services,” say Anne P. Werner and James P. Firman in “Home Care for Older People: A Consumer’s Guide,” published by the United Seniors Health Cooperative in Washington, D.C.
Home care can be anything from help with everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing, walking, eating or using the toilet to advanced medical assistance, in a senior’s own home.
Medicare will only pay for skilled care given at home if the patient is homebound, falls under the care of a physician who signs a care plan, needs only part-time home health services and uses providers certified by Medicare.
Home care may be provided by an agency, a registry of skilled workers such as nurses or by an independent worker whom you recruit and hire, according to the USHC publication.
To locate such resources, call ElderCare Locator at (800) 677-1116.
And when you’ve narrowed your choices to a few agencies, ask these questions, advises the USHC:
* How long has the agency been serving the community?
* Is the agency Medicare-certified? This is important if you’re seeking some Medicare payment.
* Is the agency licensed? Accredited?
* How are employees chosen and trained?
* Is the plan of care written out? Is the amount of care deemed practical?
* Do supervisors visit your home regularly to evaluate quality of care?
* What arrangements are to be made for emergencies?
* What are the financial arrangements, including minimum hours per day and any “extras?”
Assisted living facilities are alternatives to nursing homes when 24-hour medical care is not a necessity.
The continuing care retirement community assures care for life, from independent living to 24-hour skilled nursing care, according to the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.
The AAHSA is the accrediting agency for CCRCs nationwide and publishes The Continuing Care Retirement Community: A Guidebook for Consumers, The Consumers’ Directory of Continuing Care Retirement Communities and The Accredited Facilities List. Call (800) 508-9442 for information.
CCRCs, because of the lifetime contract, “necessarily involve a substantial financial investment by residents,” says the AAHSA.
For a copy of the USHC’s Long-Term Care Planning: A Dollar & Sense Guide, send $15 to USHC, 1331 H St., N.W., Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005.