“By Elder Law and Estate Planning Attorney Rick Law of the Estate Planning Center at Law Elder Law in Aurora, IL.
When your loved one with Alzheimer’s needs help but is fighting back, it can be very hard on your family. At a certain point, additional help is often needed.
One option is to take advantage of a respite care program. These programs offer substitute caregivers and are designed to provide temporary relief for the primary caregiver from day-to-day responsibilities. Some respite programs involve paid health aides, while others may use volunteers from churches or other groups.
If more intensive help is required, another option is home-based care, using a health aide to provide custodial care in the home of the patient. This can be a good option when the primary caregiver is also elderly. This may allow your loved one to keep their independence for as long as possible and continue to live in their home.
Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover home health aides who provide custodial care, which is the type of care an individual with Alzheimer’s typically needs. Custodial care involves bathing, dressing, help with the housekeeping and grocery shopping, and occasionally staying overnight when needed.
Medicaid may cover portions of custodial services through a waiver program. Because the services available through the waiver program vary greatly state by state, those interested should contact their state office on aging for information.
A third option is adult day care. This option is great for situations in which the primary caregiver (perhaps an adult child) still works, but wants to keep the individual suffering from Alzheimer’s in the home. Adult day care programs provide socialization and therapeutic activities that may slow the mental decline brought on by Alzheimer’s. Often these programs offer different levels of care ranging from one half day per week to full-time care Monday through Friday.
If your loved one has memory problems and you’re afraid of the consequences that may bring, give our office a call today at 800-310-3100. Your first consultation is absolutely free. We’ll let you know what steps you need to take, right now, to protect yourself and your family. Call now.
Sincerely,
Rick L. Law, Attorney, Estate Planner for Retirees.
Rick was named the #1 Illinois elder law estate planning attorney by Leading Lawyer Magazine. He has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, AARP Magazine, TheStreet.com, and numerous newspapers and articles. Rick is the lead attorney for Law Elder Law, LLP, focusing in Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Nursing Home Solutions. His goal is to give retirees an informed edge when it comes to dealing with an uncertain future. Get flexible retirement strategies that work during good times and bad, plus information on how you can save your home and assets from being used to pay for long term care.