Planning and Understanding Long-Term Care
The most common conversation I have with families is the lack of planning when it comes to their long-term health care plan. It saddens me when I realize just how little most people know about the resources available to them. I have been in health care for over 10 years, and the lack of knowledge regarding home care is quite astonishing.
Listen, I completely get it. Researching and creating a long-term care plan is not at the top of our to-do lists. It is not something that was ever discussed at the dinner table growing up for me. It was as if my parents avoided such topics. They either thought they would never age(lol) or like most members of my family, no one would ever become ill, get injured, or would simply pass away in their sleep. I was raised in a traditional Mexican Catholic household and health care topics such as long-term care insurance, at-home care, hospice, etc. were never discussed. My parents always assumed my sisters and I would just handle matters when that time came. But the reality is, why should we? Why should children have to make those decisions when our parents are perfectly capable now? In my case, it was a cultural thing or just my parents avoiding the subject. The mere discussion of aging, illness, and death was a definite “no-no.”
However, the day finally came when we sat down with my father and began to plan. We discussed the option of hiring private caregiver’s vs admitting him into a long-term care skilled nursing home. We researched and found an affordable long term care insurance plan. We also opted out of having him move into an Assisted Living. We wanted to ensure normalcy remained for him. Keeping him at home with 24hr hour care was the best for his mental health and ours. Planning is a significant change for so many. Sit down with your spouse, parents, loved ones and create a plan. Invest in Long Term Care Insurance early on. LTC insurance has saved so many of our clients. According to many of our clients, it was one of the best investments they had ever made. Financial responsibility plays a vital role when it comes to long term care plans. Familiarize yourself with costs, services, reviews etc.
True Caregiving is a licensed and bonded agency, founded by a nurse practitioner. We ensure a thorough explanation of our services at the initial consult. Our caregivers undergo extensive background checks and training. We want to ensure complete transparency with our patients, clients, and family members. Your situation may not be like mine, but if it is, know that there are answers and available resources for your loved ones.
This should not be a fear-driven journey, but an educational and compassionate one.