The Four Steps of Long Term Care Planning

According to some sources, 60% of us will need long term care sometime during our lives.  It is important for all of us to prepare for that day when we will need to help loved ones with care or we will need long term care for ourselves.

We may prepare financially for unexpected disasters by covering our homes, automobiles and health with insurance policies.  Bot no other life event can be as devastating to an elderly person's lifestyle, finances and security as needing long term care.  It drastically alters or completely eliminates the three principal retirement dreams of elderly Americans.

What Is Long Term Care?

The need for long term care arises when an individual requires, from someone else, assistance with medical care, daily living activities, comfort, supervision or advice.  This need for care may be caused by an accident, disease process, or frailty.  Such conditions may require help with the ability to move about, dress, bathe, eat, use a toilet, medicate, and avoid incontinence.

Also care may be needed to help the disabled person with household cleaning, preparing meals, transportation, shopping, paying bills, visiting the doctor and answering the phone.  Oftentimes, long term care in the form of supervision or confinement is needed due to cognitive impairment from stroke, mental retardation, depression, dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Disease and so on.  Most long term care is provided at home by family members

In our next post we will discuss understand the nature of care, care settings and government programs.