Thinking about the future can be scary as we age. It is understandable that most of us do not want to think about the aging process, let alone our potential need for long-term care. The earlier we are educated about this type of care, however, the better off we will be in our later years.
There are steps that you can begin taking right now to prepare for a future that could involving long-term care assistance. Long-term care is not as intimidating as it seems and serves many purposes for Older Americans and their families. For example, services can include assisting older people who are no longer able to complete their activities of daily by themselves or provide companion care to an isolated senior living at home. A frequent misconception of long-term care, however, is that it is just for Older Americans. This is untrue. Anyone can need long-term care at any time depending on his or her medical situation.
The costs associated with long term care can be significant and are often based on needs of the individual. An individual who needs 24-hour skilled care in a long term care facility will have a greater expense than someone who only needs a few hours of assistance each week at home. When planning ahead for long term care, you need to make sure you identify what all of the costs will be for yourself or your loved ones. There may be different types of benefits and coverage available depending on where you live in Wisconsin.
Though this is a hard subject to talk about, it is one of extreme importance. You not only need to identify ways to pay for long term care such as paying privately, utilizing long term care insurance or qualifying for public benefits like the Medicaid program, you also need to make sure you and your loved ones receive good care. Have a conversation with your loved ones about how you want to be cared for now and in the future. It is the right time to work with your attorney to make sure that your estate planning documents look forward to a potential future involving long term care assistance and qualification. Be sure you identify a successor in your estate planning documents who you trust to take care of your medical, financial, and long term care future.
Good planning can make hard transitions easier and more peaceful. Does this article raise even more questions for you? We are here to answer them for you. Call us at (715) 843-5001 or contact us through our website to schedule an appointment with Attorney Alan Hougum.
