What Families Ask First When They Start Looking Into Senior Care
If you’re trying to figure out senior care, it’s likely because you’ve noticed something isn’t quite right. When I look over lists of commonly asked questions within the industry. The questions tend to focus on what, where, and how.
What does it look like when a senior needs extra help? What does a caregiver do? Where do we go for help? How do we pay for help? What does insurance cover?
At the heart of these concerns are two questions:
When does a senior need extra help, and what does that help look like?
What is the general cost of care, and does insurance cover any care costs?
So, when does a senior need extra help?
As we say here at HelloCare, “when a senior is struggling, a caregiver can help,” and that struggle can come in many forms. According to a co-authored study by the World Health Organization and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 93% of older adults report having a diagnosis of one or more chronic conditions. 80% report having two or more.
Many of these conditions can cause strain on the body and mind, especially as we continue to age. What were once normal Activities of Daily Living (known as ADL’s) become more challenging. For some, this could be as simple as help with light housekeeping, meal planning and preparation, and someone to take care of the laundry, ensuring clothes are not only washed and dried but also folded, hung up, and put away.
It may be because an elderly adult can no longer take care of their daily hygiene, which can lead to isolation and/or infection. A caregiver can help with that.
Some seniors are unable to drive anymore due to vision loss, strokes, dementia, or while recovering from an injury. Having a caregiver who can help them get to appointments, out to social settings, and to the grocery store eases the burden of trying to manage Uber or Public Transport.
Some of our elder clients need companionship. That could be due to loneliness or even dementia related illnesses, where someone may physically be able to play a round of golf or take a bike ride through the hills, but needs someone with them to stay safe and ensure they get home. The right caregiver provides this safety and companionship in the form of a friend.
As we age, memory changes are common and not always dementia-related. This can lead to issues like forgetting to take medication. Diseases like Parkinsons’s can take a toll on the body, and actually administering medication ourselves becomes a struggle. Caregivers can help with that, too, from simple medication reminders to assistance with giving medication. State regulations will vary. Here in Oregon, HelloCare caregivers receive full nurse oversight and delegation. So, care teams like ours can help with everything from administering pills, insulin, and other injections to hands-on assistance with more complex, nurse-delegated medication routines.
The signs your aging loved one may need help aren’t always clear. You have to be looking with intention to see the struggles. When they do get noticed, the next glaring question is almost always…
“What is the cost of Senior Care?”
The question comes with a whole lot of nuance and scope matters here.
If it’s a Post-Acute or Skilled Nursing Setting, you’re looking at daily rates that can range from around $300-$500/day. These are intended as short-term stays, and your health insurance and/or Medicare will generally cover the first 20 days (or more with private insurance).
For Assisted Living and Memory Care settings, you can expect it to cost $6,000-$15,000 a month, depending on location, apartment rate, and care needs. Medicare and Health Insurance DO NOT cover Assisted Living or Memory Care costs at all. In Oregon, some care facilities do accept Medicaid for those who qualify. Check with your state for its program availability. Otherwise, the only insurance that pays for Assisted Living or Memory Care would be a Long Term Care Insurance plan that specifically covers Assisted Living and/or Memory Care.
When it comes to home Caregivers, cost can vary as well. Privately hired caregivers have lower hourly rates than agency caregivers, with a general market rate of around $25-30/hour for private pay and $15-25 for Medicaid. Agency Caregivers, like those who work for HelloCare, have full benefits packages and a leadership team for support. Nurse oversight and training keep care plans honest and up to date. With Agencies, you can expect a rate of $45-$75 and hour, depending upon location and need.
Just like Assisted Living and Memory Care, Medicare and private Health Insurance do not cover Home Caregivers. Some providers do accept Medicaid, and most will accept payment from Long Term Care Insurance.
Veterans have a couple of options they may qualify for. For service Veterans and/or their surviving spouse, who live in a residential care facility and qualify financially, there is the Aid & Attendance program, which will help cover some of the costs. There is also the Homemaker Home Health Aide Care program. Veterans who qualify for the program through the VA can have a private or agency caregiver with set hours by their VA caseworker. This is NOT income-based, but based on service and need.
I know this doesn’t answer every question families face when looking into elder care options, but it establishes a solid ground to stand on. We do cover a lot more over on our FAQ page, and you can also ask us any questions you may have by using our contact form. And don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list to have these blog posts delivered right to your email inbox each week!
Stay safe and upright out there.