Did you know that today, we have more parents to care for than children? Elder care has replaced childcare as a leading healthcare issue. For the children of aging parents expressing concerns about their well being can lead to difficult discussions and even more difficult decisions about how to care for them.
Many people who walk through a nursing home think: “I need to take care of Mom or Dad so she doesn’t end up in here.”
Most people don’t want to have a loved one placed into an institution. Let’s face it, no matter how good the nursing home, they can seem cold and impersonal, sometimes they have the smell of incontinence — and even an average nursing home is very expensive.
Home care is a good alternative and according to a study conducted by the MetLife Mature Market Institute, nearly 10 million people over the age of 50 are caring for their aging parents. The number of caregivers has more than tripled over the past 15 years.
That increase reflects medical advances and the resulting increase in human longevity. As the average age of death has moved from 68 in 1950 to nearly 79 now, the ranks of the elderly have grown. Today, about 6 million U.S. residents are over 85.
Studies estimate that 2 out of 3 informal caregivers are women, many of whom are middle-aged mothers with children or adult children living in their households.
An Indiana University report says “informal caregivers provide service that would otherwise cost the Medicare system $375 billion a year.”
Surprisingly, there are ways to pay for home health care that many don’t consider.
Veterans Benefits
Even if you didn’t retire for the service the Veterans Administration (VA) takes care of those that fought for our country with benefits that can help veterans live at home as they age. The VA does a terrible job of getting the word out so most don’t know about these benefits but if you give us a call we can quickly walk you through the benefits application process.
Long-Term Care Insurance
Many children don’t even know that an elderly parent purchased a policy but it pays to ask, no pun intended. Some policies pay several hundred dollars a day after the elimination period. These policies have their own vocabulary so check out our FAQ before you call the insurance company.
Reverse Mortgages
Many elder Americans have built up significant wealth in homes they want to continue to live in. Reverse mortgages are good ways to tap that stored wealth and use the income to provide home care.
While many people make the decision to provide care at home for an elderly parent or family member because the parent desires to remain at home, the truth is that home care is also a cost effective option to institutions.
If you or a loved one need help give us a call. BrightStar caregivers can provide:
Companion Care Services
* Conversation and Companionship
* Meal Preparation
* Laundry
* Light Housekeeping
* Grocery Shopping/Errands
* Incidental Transportation
* Medication Reminders
* Grooming Guidance
* Live-In Services
* 24-Hour Care
* Respite Care or Relief for Family
Personal Care Services
* Bathing, Grooming and Hygiene
* Mobility Assistance
* Transferring and Positioning
* Toileting and Incontinence Care
* Feeding and Special Diet
Specialized Care Services
* Dementia Care
* End-of-Life Care
