For most of our history, family and community support networks have assisted the elderly as they became less capable of taking care of themselves. Now, a variety of social factors are causing those networks to lose their effectiveness, requiring seniors to rely on themselves - and their pocketbooks - to a greater degree. Thus, it is important for people of all ages to plan ahead to make senior home care accessible.
Members of the X and Y generations are far more willing than their parents were to move long distance to pursue education, career opportunities, or just new places. Technology keeps families connected over long distances in a way that many were not even when they lived in the same city, so the geographical distance seems unimportant - until grandpa is no longer able to climb the stairs or grandma can no longer prepare food for herself. Then, that distance makes it impossible for younger relatives to help.
Similarly, the social services provided without cost through churches and other non-government organizations are becoming overburdened and underfunded as the elderly population swells. With less "good samaritan" help available, professional home care is an increasingly vital option.
At some point, almost everybody will need a little help as they grow older. Some seniors require short-term care following an illness or accident. During the recovery period, they are less mobile and need domestic assistance to keep their homes in order.
Others rely on home care to keep them out of a nursing home facility. Staying in their own home provides a level of freedom and privacy that that they value. This can become a long-term situation, with a permanent home care professional attending to critical medical needs as well as domestic chores.
Senior home care providers meet these diverse needs with a variety of care options. Part-time care can generally be found for $15 to $25 per hour, while seniors with more serious conditions that require 24-hour care can expect to pay between $150 and $350 per day for home care. While a part-time hourly caregiver can be a financially accessible option for many seniors, long-term home care costs can quickly become too high for those who are not adequately prepared.
There are a variety of insurance options that include provisions for home care, as well as other long-term care options such as nursing home stays. In general, premiums for any long-term care coverage increase dramatically with the age of the insured, so it is critical to plan as far ahead as possible.
This is especially true for young people. Health care costs are likely to rise into the future, public services for the elderly (such as Medicare) may not maintain adequate funding, and traditional support networks will likely continue to erode. Regardless of age, planning ahead is the best way to ensure that options like senior home care are available if and when we need them.
Members of the X and Y generations are far more willing than their parents were to move long distance to pursue education, career opportunities, or just new places. Technology keeps families connected over long distances in a way that many were not even when they lived in the same city, so the geographical distance seems unimportant - until grandpa is no longer able to climb the stairs or grandma can no longer prepare food for herself. Then, that distance makes it impossible for younger relatives to help.
Similarly, the social services provided without cost through churches and other non-government organizations are becoming overburdened and underfunded as the elderly population swells. With less "good samaritan" help available, professional home care is an increasingly vital option.
At some point, almost everybody will need a little help as they grow older. Some seniors require short-term care following an illness or accident. During the recovery period, they are less mobile and need domestic assistance to keep their homes in order.
Others rely on home care to keep them out of a nursing home facility. Staying in their own home provides a level of freedom and privacy that that they value. This can become a long-term situation, with a permanent home care professional attending to critical medical needs as well as domestic chores.
Senior home care providers meet these diverse needs with a variety of care options. Part-time care can generally be found for $15 to $25 per hour, while seniors with more serious conditions that require 24-hour care can expect to pay between $150 and $350 per day for home care. While a part-time hourly caregiver can be a financially accessible option for many seniors, long-term home care costs can quickly become too high for those who are not adequately prepared.
There are a variety of insurance options that include provisions for home care, as well as other long-term care options such as nursing home stays. In general, premiums for any long-term care coverage increase dramatically with the age of the insured, so it is critical to plan as far ahead as possible.
This is especially true for young people. Health care costs are likely to rise into the future, public services for the elderly (such as Medicare) may not maintain adequate funding, and traditional support networks will likely continue to erode. Regardless of age, planning ahead is the best way to ensure that options like senior home care are available if and when we need them.
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