Information About Elderly Long Term CareAccording the United States Census Bureau, the population of senior citizens in the US will double by the year 2030. Moreover, the US Department of Health and Human Service approximates that about forty percent of people aged 65 years or higher may spend the last stage of their lives confined in a nursing home. Unfortunately, many Americans fail to prepare for the eventuality of elderly long term care need. Due to this, many face financial crisis during their advanced years since all financial resources are spent to avail of long term care services. Elderly long term care is commonly defined as the need for assistance or supervision by an individual in performing necessary activities of everyday living (ADLs) like dressing, bathing, transferring, eating, toileting and continence. People who need elderly long term suffer from physical illnesses brought about by injury or frailty. The same is also required by people who have cognitive impairment brought about by mental illnesses or brain disorders. Elderly long term care, also called personal care or custodial care can be financed in many ways. It can be paid through Medicare, supplemental insurance policies like Medi-Cal or Medicaid, using personal resources, or long term care insurance. Most Americans do not save or prepare for long term care due to the wrong assumption that it is entirely covered by Medicare. While this is partially true, there are conditions that should be met for an elderly long term care expense to be paid through Medicare. First, the service should be rendered by a licensed skilled nursing home or care provider. Second, it will only cover expenses incurred within a maximum period of 100 days. The cost of elderly long term care is increasing faster than general inflation. Because of this, some senior citizens opt to avail of alternatives to nursing homes such as home care services, health aides, meal provision services, adult day care programs and assisted living facilities. Some elderly people also resort to informal long term care services provided by family members or friends. In line with this, safety features such as ramps, railings, showers, beds and medical equipment may be installed within a private residence. In addition, some hospitals and private companies offer personal emergency response systems to its clients. This system allows old people to confirm if they are all right every night. It also allows them to communicate to rescuers in case they fall. A significant percentage of seniors in the United States invest in long term care insurance policies to take care of elderly long term care expenses. Hundreds of private insurance companies offer this type of insurance all over the country. In order for a policy holder to be able to avail of the benefits of his insurance, he needs to have one of the three benefit triggers or standards. These are identified as impairment or incapacity to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), cognitive impairment, and medical necessity as certified by a licensed physician. In the case of ADLs, a person qualifies for insurance benefits if he is unable to do any two of the six ADLs. |