We’ve spent a lot of time on this blog talking about your potential need for long-term care and how you can pay for it while still protecting your assets. That’s important information that you should take in, but in this post, we want to take a step back and look at the bigger picture of how long-term care will impact your daily living.
The reality is that your quality of life and your independence will depend on the type of long-term care that you receive. Depending on your circumstances, you might have several options to choose from. Let’s look at some of those that allow you to stay at home so that you can start planning for the one that makes the most sense for you and your family.
Receiving long-term care at home
Most people want to stay in their home as they age. This might be possible, and you can get help along the way from long-term care providers. This includes:
- Personal care: Through these services, you receive assistance with daily living activities while remaining in your home. Providers can help you with dressing, bathing, toileting, eating, mobility, and transportation.
- Homemaker services: While professionals who provide these services won’t help with necessary daily living activities, they can still provide you with the aid you need in maintaining your household. They can help care for your pets, cook, clean, do your laundry, and shop on your behalf.
- Home health care: With this service, someone comes to your home to check on your medical condition to ensure that you’re properly handling it. They might assist with the administration of medication, check your vitals, treat your wounds, and monitor your physical and mental health.
- Nursing care: Here, you’ll receive more intensive medical care in you home. A nurse will come to your house to provide you with IV treatments, stroke care, physical and speech therapy, occupational therapy, and monitoring of more severe conditions.
- Hospice care: When you reach the end of life, you’ll need hospice care if you want to remain at home. Through this service, you’ll receive needed medical equipment, medication for pain management, counseling, and dietary services. This can help you find comfort in your last moments and take a burden off your family’s shoulders.
Receiving long-term care in the community
A lot of people think that long-term care is only provided in the home or in a residential facility. While those two broad categories do make up the bulk of long-term care options, there is a middle ground that can be sought. There are several long-term care options out in the community, including:
- Adult daycare: These programs, which usually run during the workday, give your loved ones a break from taking care of you and give you an opportunity to get out of the house and socialize with others. Group activities and meals are provided here, and you can also receive rehabilitation and support services.
- Transportation services: If you need help getting to the grocery store and other places, then you might need to consider planning for transportation services.
- Respite care: This type of care can give your loved ones a break from caring for you on a temporary basis. Here, you might spend some time in a nursing home, an assisted living facility, or at a health care agency.
Creating the long-term care plan that’s right for you
There may be other options out there for you to explore. You just need to focus on creating a long-term care plan that suits your needs and your wishes for the future while still being realistic. If you’d like to learn more about what planning options are best for you, then please continue to read up on the long-term care options that are out there.