Long-term care options broaden over time

L​ong-term care covers a variety of custodial (unskilled or semi-skilled) types of care.  Although nursing homes are still part of the long-term care equation, there are many other options to consider:

• Home health care
• Community-based care
• Assisted living facilities
• Adult day care
• Respite care
• Hospice care

In many instances, the care that used to necessitate confinement in a nursing home can now be provided in the home or an assisted living facility.  

One of the most requested benefits of long-term care insurance is the option to stay at home, and/or to keep one's spouse or other family members out of a nursing home, for as long as possible.  

In today's world, many care facilities are integrated. That is, you can live in a retirement community and receive home health care services; move to the assisted living facility and receive increasing levels of care; and finally enter the nursing home or cognitive impairment facility.  

Another interesting aspect of long-term care is this: many people transit through the various care options and eventually are able to return home or to a less demanding level of care. But, this presents a problem if Medicaid is your payment source.

In order for Medicaid to pay your long-term care bills, you generally need to be in a nursing home or cognitive impairment facility. 

It's important to have discussions - with your spouse, your aging parents, your adult children - about what long-term care really means. A couple of important items for discussion would be: how you (or they) will pay for this care, and who will make the decisions if you (or they) are not able to do so.

You should also take time to visit the various facilities you might want to live in. If you are considering selling your home and retiring to an integrated retirement/long-term care campus, make sure you like all the aspects of the facilities. 

Many of these facilities require you to pre-pay large sums to ensure you can transition smoothly from one living arrangement to another, so it is important to make an informed decision.

It’s important to plan ahead and choose a long-term care policy that will meet your needs and allow you to age comfortably.