Is Elder Care Affordable?

If you’re struggling to keep up with your responsibilities as a family caregiver, but you don’t know where to turn for help, elder care may be the way to go.

Elder Care Belle Meade TN – Is Elder Care Affordable?

Elder care providers are able to stay with your older family member when you cannot be there, such as when you are at work or spending time with your children or spouse.

An elder care provider can assist the older adult with nearly everything that you can, including preparing meals, cleaning the house, dressing, medication reminders, and bathing or using the bathroom.

While you may be thinking that all sounds great, you might also be wondering whether you can afford to hire elder care. Elder care is an affordable alternative to placing a senior in a long-term care facility, and there are many ways to pay for it.

Below are some payment options that may work for you.

Veteran’s Benefits

Senior veterans may have access to veteran’s benefits that pay a certain amount toward services they need, including elder care. The senior must be enrolled for standard medical benefits with the Veterans Health Administration. Eligibility for the benefits depends on their level of disability and their needs.

Share the Cost

If the older adult does not have the financial means for paying for elder care, you could split the costs with them. Or, you can ask other family members to help share costs. You could either split the entire cost of elder care between family members or determine what the senior can afford, then split the remainder of the cost. Sharing costs among family members keeps one person from having to shoulder the cost and prevents the tensions that may result.

A Long-Term Care Policy

Find out if your aging relative has a long-term care insurance policy in place. If so, it may pay for elder care. Talking to a representative of the insurance company can help you to determine if the older adult is eligible for benefits and how you can claim them. Be sure you understand the coverage because the insurance company may stipulate that elder care providers meet certain requirements, such as being from a licensed agency.

Reverse Mortgage

If your older family member owns their house, they may be interested in taking out a reverse mortgage. A reverse mortgage lets them use the equity in their home to pay expenses, including health care needs like elder care. The senior doesn’t have to sell their home and won’t have to make loan payments. However, a reverse mortgage does reduce the value of the home in terms of assets the senior has to leave to family members when they die. There are different kinds of reverse mortgages, so it’s important to do your research before deciding if this option is right for your aging relative.

Sources:  https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/financial-legal/info-2017/afford-a-homecare-worker.html

https://www.aarp.org/health/health-insurance/info-06-2012/understanding-long-term-care-insurance.html

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0192-reverse-mortgages