Take Care
Worried about burdening loved ones with caring for you both physically and financially as you age? Home health providers welcome the opportunity to lend a hand in performing daily activities, and long-term care insurance helps you stay covered no matter your life span.
HELPING HANDS
Aging is not always easy. Everyday tasks often become difficult in the latter years of life. But you don’t have to lose your independence. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes certainly are options, but with assistance provided by home health providers, you can remain in the comforts of your own home.
Generally, notes the Carilion Clinic website, home health care is provided to patients that have become disabled, or are recovering from an illness, undergoing treatment, chronically ill or terminally ill. Home health providers offer a wide range of services, which include bathing and dressing, serving home-cooked meals according to dietary needs, reminding clients about medicine and transporting to a doctor’s appointment.
Caregivers vary from physicians and nurses to volunteers and companion providers. Michelle Belton, owner of Companion Home Care, Inc., says her business offers non-medical and homemaking services, such as cleaning house and doing laundry, accompanying clients to social functions, and serving as a companion for leisure activities such as gardening, playing cards or taking a stroll through the park.
LASTING BENEFITS
According to State Farm Insurance’s website, there is a one in two chance that when you reach 65, you will need extra care down the road, so it’s best to prepare for that possibility. You can avoid leaning on family members or using your retirement savings to help cover the costs of home care by purchasing a long-term care insurance policy.
The product helps you pay the expenses of an in-home caregiver, private duty nurse or therapist (as well as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult day cares). Such services commonly are not covered by health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid.
If you’re considering a long-term care policy, keep in mind that the earlier you buy, the better. The cost of premiums, according to State Farm, depends on your age when you purchase the policy. And if you wait too long, you’ll face a higher premium or become ineligible due to changes in your health.
Currently, the average cost of home health providers in Roanoke is $19/hour, but health care costs are on the rise. Remember to weigh all of your options, and consider inflation and the possible amount of time you’ll need long-term care.