Long-term care planning helps family caregivers

Spouses and other family members are placed with the emotional, financial and physical burdens of long-term care when a loved one requires care. Planning in advance reduces these burdens.

February 22, 2004--Most Americans know they want to live in their own home when they need long-term care. However, they have given no thought to how to pay for this care ... and most government programs do not cover home-based care, said a leading long-term care specialist.

Matt McCann, a nationally known speaker and specialist in long-term care (LTC) issues says the bottom line is that most in-home caregiving is provided by family members and friends. This is just a part of the burden placed on family and friends when a loved one requires care due to age or illness.

“Two-thirds of family caregivers are working outside of the home,” says John Paul Morosy, author of "ElderCare: A Six-Step Guide to Balancing Family and Work." Studies show the typical family caregiver is a 46-year-old woman with a kid in middle school, who is also holding down a job.

McCann suggests that in many cases these women are taking care of a family while taking care of a parent or parent-in-law. Plus, in many cases the caregiver is also in the work force. These are huge problems which need to be addressed.

What's the one piece of advice employees who are caregivers should have? “Be aware that when you are involved in long-term care for an elderly relative, you are taking on a second job,” says Morosy. “You need training, information, and support.”

McCann has lived long-term care issues with family members requiring care as well as seeing his clients go through care situations as well.

Health insurance and Medicare will only pay for a very limited amount of care. The cost of care can run from $40,000 to $90,000 a year or more depending on the area of the country a person lives.

McCann says there are two sources of help are often overlooked by working caregivers:

First, The Family Medical Leave Act allows for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to help a family member. Fathers use the Act to stay home with a newborn; workers use the Act to be with a terminally ill spouse. But family caregivers should know that the leave can be taken in small increments – for example, 4 hours, to accompany a parent to a doctor's appointment. This federal law applies to workplaces with 50+ employees.    

Second, The Eldercare Locator is a national free public service of the US Administration on Aging. It has existed since 1991, and helps people locate aging services in every community throughout the United States. You can call Eldercare Locator toll-free, at 800-677-1116, or visit them on the web at www.ElderCare.gov.

McCann suggests you ask a number of questions. Does your loved one want to stay at home? Is that safe for them, and a good choice for their family members? Does the senior qualify for programs that can supplement family care? Can they afford to pay for supplemental care? Did they pre-plan for long-term care needs with long-term care insurance (LTCI)?

Often, a senior is able to stay at home, with a working family caregiver, as long as their need for help can be scheduled – as in dressing, eating, and bathing. Once until they need help with activities that can't be scheduled (continence, transferring/mobility), they need either round-the-clock home care or facility care. Many seniors end up in facilities simply because they cannot afford round-the-clock home care and have not planned for such a need in advance of needing care.

"Long-term care is a multidimensional problem. With the risk of requiring care at some point in our lifetimes being the biggest involuntary risk any person faces, people need to plan for such needs as they plan for a future retirement. Waiting until you or a loved one needs care is waiting too late," said McCann

Long-term care insurance is a perfect way to plan ahead and is very affordable if people plan early. McCann supports President Bush's budget proposal for an above-the-line tax deduction for LTCI premiums which would make premiums even more affordable.

"Most of my clients start planning in their 50's when their health is still good and premiums for LTCI are low," McCann explained.

Planning ahead prevents much of the financial and emotional burden placed on spouses, children and other family members. McCann says one should meet with a specialist in long-term care insurance to see if they need such protection and health qualify for it.

Details on long-term care planning can also be found on McCann's website: www.McCannLTC.com or from the National LTC Information Center's website: www.ltcinformationcenter.org.

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