You know that your parent needs some sort of help getting through their day now that they are getting older and have more advanced physical needs. Assessing those needs from a financial point of view is a lot more difficult than just acknowledging this fact, though. In fact, because senior care has such a reputation for being expensive, this whole process might seem overwhelming.
Breaking this process down into a series of steps can make the process a lot easier. This is a good thing because you might find that you don’t need to get the most expensive senior care there is. You might find that a less expensive care will do a far better job of meeting your loved one’s needs than an expensive type of care would.
Step 1: The first step in this process is to evaluate your mom or dad’s needs. What things do they have difficulty with? What things are they likely to need help with in the near future? For example, are they able to prepare their own food? Are they grooming and cleaning themselves adequately? What about medication management? Are there any other things that are being ignored or overlooked? When you have a realistic appraisal of what is needed, narrowing down the right type of care will make your life a lot easier. Think about it like this: if you don’t need to pay $50,000 a year for care, would you really want to? What if you could get an even higher quality of care for half this price? For many, this is a reality and they don’t even know it.
This first question is designed to let you know how advanced of a level of care is needed. In many cases, in-home care or assisted living is more than enough. If there are no frequent medical needs present, then a nursing home can be avoided. Nursing homes can be extremely expensive, while other types of care can be a fraction of that price. Unfortunately, a lot of people are not aware of other types of care or don’t give them the attention that they deserve and jump right into a nursing home. Figuring out what needs are, and then finding the right kind of care to meet those needs can help your parent get better care at a cheaper price.
Step 2: Next, think about what financial resources you have available. Will insurance of any sort cover all or some of the needed care? What about other benefits that your mom or dad is entitled to? This might include VA benefits if they were in the military, or your county’s Department of Social Services might be able to be of help. There is nothing wrong with using these resources–they exist for a reason, after all. Using them might be exactly what you need to do to help your parent get the help that they deserve.
Step 3: Finally, look at non-financial resources. This is a confusing thing at first, but non-financial resources include things like your time and energy, advice from friends, other family members, and so on. If some of the cost of in-home care can be offset by a trusted neighbor or friend helping your parent for a couple hours a day, this might be a good way to reduce costs and increase your loved one’s social life. Both of those things can be beneficial to your whole family. Asking a professional’s opinion can also be a good start. Many services (including Paradise In-Home Care) offer a free consultation to help get you headed in the right direction when it comes to senior care.
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