The cost to care for a parent in your home can vary depending on their needs. You can expect to pay between $15 and $25 per hour for home care personnel and $300+ per day for round the clock care (live-in) Some people utilize housekeepers and/or family members to bring the cost down.
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Piedmont Heart Institute answeredMedicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies will cover some of the costs of home health care. Other costs you will have to pay for yourself.
The cost of home care depends on what services you use. Non-medical workers like housekeepers are much less expensive than nurses or physical therapists. Also, some home care agencies are less expensive than others.
To qualify for Medicaid, you must have a low income and few other assets. To find out if you qualify for Medicaid, call your State Medical Assistance Office.
Besides Medicare and Medicaid, there is another federal program, called the National Family Caregiver Support Program that helps states provide services for family caregivers. To be eligible for the program, a caregiver must:
Care for an adult aged 60 years and older, or Care for a person of any age with Alzheimer's disease or a related disorder Be a grandparent or relative 55 years of age or older who is the primary caregiver of a child under the age of 18, or Be a grandparent or relative 55 years of age or older providing care to an adult, aged 18 to 59 years, with a disabilityEach state offers different amounts and types of services. These include:
Information about available services Help accessing support services Individual counseling and organization of support groups Caregiver training Respite care Supplemental services, supplies, and equipment, such as home modifications, emergency response systems, nutritional supplements, incontinence supplies, etc.To access services under the National Family Caregiver Support Program, contact your local Area Agency on Aging.
This answer is based on source information from the National Women's Health Information Center.
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Everplans answeredSee All 4 AnswersA power of attorney (POA) is someone you appoint to make legal and financial decisions on your behalf should be unable to do so. A durable power of attorney (DPOA) goes into effect as soon as the legal paperwork is signed and expires when you die. As long as you are deemed competent, you may revoke a DPOA at any time. -
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Dr. John H. Growdon, MD , Neurology, answeredIf you have Alzheimer's disease, an advance directive for health care should be prepared. Although a living will is the best-known document of this type, people with Alzheimer's disease and their families should be aware of its narrow application. Living wills apply to terminal illnesses, which may exempt Alzheimer's disease and many other conditions. The living will can be interpreted different ways, and some states may not permit the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, such as artificial feeding. In contrast, the durable power of attorney for health care can apply to all medical situations, not just terminal illness. A person designates a surrogate to make medical decisions on his or her behalf.
Once an advance directive such as the living will or durable power of attorney for health care is completed, the person's physician should have a copy. Keep extra copies on hand in case the need for emergency treatment or hospitalization arises. -
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Dr. John H. Growdon, MD , Neurology, answeredA legal document called a durable power of attorney is usually the most straightforward way for a person with Alzheimer's disease to grant another person (generally the caregiver) the power to make decisions on his or her behalf regarding property, residence, and other financial affairs. A durable power of attorney also permits a person to delegate certain responsibilities that are proving difficult, such as managing money or paying bills.
The authority that is handed over can be very narrow or quite broad. For example, you might give someone the authority to sell your car or to make all financial decisions, including selling your home, managing your assets, and dealing with the Internal Revenue Service. The durable power of attorney can be written so that it starts as soon as it's signed, or it can go into effect at a future point in time, for example, if you become incapacitated.
A trust is another method of authorizing an individual or institution to manage someone's affairs. A trust is more far-reaching and complex than a durable power of attorney. Trusts allow you to officially gather assets, including a house, money, stocks, and so forth, and place them in a legal entity. While you're alive, you are the trust's beneficiary. You may control distributions yourself or through trustees elected to carry out your wishes at a time or point that you specify. When you die, the trustees distribute remaining assets to the other beneficiaries whom you chose. The wishes you relay through a trust can take effect today, if you like, or upon a triggering event, such as when you can no longer handle your own affairs because of mental or physical incapacity.
Executing a durable power of attorney or trust is far simpler than trying to establish a guardianship (also called conservatorship or committeeship), which requires court hearings and proof of incompetence. Some family lawyers are willing to handle the necessary legal documents. If yours is not, he or she may refer you to another lawyer. The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) or the Alzheimer's Association can also recommend an attorney in your area who's experienced in elder law. -
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See All 3 AnswersThere are several ways that chronic illness can influence family life:- Daily routines may change because the limitations of the ill member and the demands of treatment may require that others be more available.
- Families may need to share care giving responsibilities; this helps all members feel they are contributing to a loved one's welfare and it also protects any single member from caregiver fatigue.
- Family members may experience strong emotions, such as guilt, anger, sadness, fear, anxiety and depressed mood. These are normal reactions to stress. It is useful to talk about these emotions within the family.
- The ill member may need to find ways to be as independent as possible, given the limitations that the illness causes.
- Despite the demands of the illness, families may need to work hard to maintain a sense of "normal" life. This can benefit the ill member, as well; it may help him or her integrate into family life more and may reduce the ill member's sense of guilt regarding the demands the illness places on the family as a whole.
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Anthony Cirillo , Geriatric Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe Assisted Living Federation of America has sample contracts that you can find through easy searching on the Internet. Following is a list of items that are typically covered in a contract. You may think of other items that should be added as you tour the facility for example. Consult with an elder law attorney before signing the document.
ACCOMODATIONS
Your Apartment
Decoration and Alterations
BASIC SERVICES
Basic Services Rate
Adjustments to Rates
Absences from Community
Security Deposit
PAYOR INFORMATION and FUNDING SOURCE
ADMISSIONS
CHANGE OF ACCOMMODATIONS
Dual Occupancy
Move to New Apartment
ACCESS TO YOUR APARTMENT
YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Rules and Regulations
No Proprietary Interests
AbsencesTERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
By You
By the Community
Death
Vacating Apartment and Refund
Release From ObligationsPROPERTY OF COMMUNITY
No Tenancy Interest or Management Rights
Liability for DamagePROPERTY OF RESIDENT
ADVANCE DIRECTIVES
INCOMPETENCY
WAIVER OF ONE BREACH NOT A WAIVER OF ANY OTHER ASSIGNMENT
FAMILY VISITS
SEVERABILITY
GOVERNING LAW
ATTORNEYS’ FEES
NOTICE
EXHIBITS
DESCRIPTION OF [ROOM, APARTMENT, UNIT] TO BE OCCUPIED BY RESIDENT
SUPPLIES AND SERVICES INCLUDED IN THE COMMUNITY’S BASIC SERVICES
RATE
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES AND SERVICES NOT COVERED IN THE COMMUNITY’S BASIC
SERVICES RATE - AND RELATED CHARGES
COMMUNITY RULES AND REGULATIONS
STATEMENT OF RESIDENTS’ PERSONAL RIGHTS
The contract is a legal document, obligating you to potentially pay very large sums of money for care. Consult with an elder law attorney before signing the document.
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Betty Long, RN, MHA , Nursing, answeredSee All 2 AnswersJust as hospital staff maintain charts in (or near) patients’ rooms, you and other family members sharing the caregiving responsibilities may want to keep a notebook in a central location and update it frequently. Aside from recording medical information or things that are relayed from the clinical care team during the day, some people find it helpful to note their emotions and anecdotes from their caregiving shift.
Family dynamics can shift dramatically during a loved one’s illness. Often sharing stories helps create a bond among the caregivers helping to keep relationships on an even keel. Humor is a great stress reliever. As strange as it seems, making jokes and jesting can be just what the doctor ordered.
Certainly keep the priority on maintaining continuity of care but documenting incidentals works very well, too, in some families.
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AARP answeredSee All 4 AnswersDepending on numerous factors, including your loved one’s needs and health status, rating aspects of an assisted living facility will be of particular interest to you. Here are some of the key factors to consider.- Is the residence clean?
- Is the residence cheerful?
- Do you feel good about it?
- Are stairs and hallways well lit?
- Are exits well marked?
- Do rooms and bathrooms have handrails and call buttons?
- Are there safety locks on the doors and windows?
- Are there security and fire safety systems?
- Is there an emergency generator or alternate power source?
- Is the floor plan logical and easy to follow?
- Are rooms large enough for a resident’s needs?
- Are there kitchens or kitchenettes?
- Are there enough common areas, such as dens and living rooms?
- What special services are available? (bank, café, beauty salon, etc.)
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HealthyWomen answeredMedicaid may cover the costs of long-term nursing home care if your relative or friend has no other resources; Medicare coverage is usually limited to the first few weeks of medically necessary care and does not pay for support services for activities of daily living like dressing, bathing and using the bathroom.
Many nursing homes have waiting lists, so inquiring early is wise. Your state or local Agency on Aging can provide advice and information about nursing-home care. They can also put you in touch with the ombudsman program, which advocates for nursing-home residents. Talk to friends who have been in the same situation and gather suggestions. Ask your healthcare professional if he or she will continue to see your relative in a specific facility.
Tour the facility, and if possible, bring your relative or friend along. Talk to administrators and staff. Ask about what kind of staff are available and the staff-to-resident ratio. Does the facility accept Medicare and Medicaid (Medicare often covers short nursing home stays after an acute episode or hospitalization)? What types of rehabilitative services do they offer? What social activities are available? Does the facility appear to have sufficient staff? Are they friendly and respectful to the residents? Do you smell urine and feces? That may be a sign that the facility isn't kept as clean as it should be and may indicate staffing problems.
Contact your state office of the long-term care ombudsman and ask about any complaints filed against the facility.
Find out if the nursing home is a for-profit or nonprofit facility. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health analyzed data from state inspections of over 13,500 nursing facilities and found that private nursing homes were more likely to provide poor-quality care than nonprofit or public facilities. The major difference between the for-profit and nonprofit nursing homes, according to the study's lead researcher, is that for-profit nursing facilities have 31% fewer staff than nonprofit facilities and tend to be more deficient in their quality of care, quality of life, administrative procedures and record keeping.
Once you select a facility, read the contract completely before signing, and if there is an agreement to sign, have a lawyer review it first.