"Tis the Season of Caring -- and Caregivers

Patricia Khalil

November 6, 2017

Fighting to Stay Independent & At Home…

Don’t Let Myths Keep You from Getting the Care You Deserve

So you’ve seen many doctors and you’re now exhausted by the barrage of information given to you, regarding new issues, with which you are now confronted. Phrases like “possible surgery,” “rehabilitating therapy,” “intermittent exhaustion,” and “generalized weakness” all have been thrown at you, but exactly what does that mean as far as how you’ll be able to complete the many basic activities involved in daily living?  Some are blessed to have family members or friends help with shopping or meal prep or even laundry and household chores, but the availability of these folks generally varies greatly and may only be offered intermittently or short-term.  One growing and popular choice for help is non-medical home care.  But what does that involve?

With home care, there are often misunderstandings. For most, it is a blessing, a secure way for individuals to be cared for in the home. Others are nervous about letting strangers into their home.

Here are some common myths about home care, and the realities.

#1: Caregivers can’t be trusted.
We have all heard the stories. However, these cases often involve caregivers that do not come from a reputable home care agency. Check to make sure your home care agency is taking the right steps to protect you.  At FirstLight, all of our caregivers go through rigorous training and are actual employees of our company. They are licensed, bonded and insured… our stellar reputation depends on it! Any reputable home care company should have the same measures in place.

#2: Home care is only for people who are sick or elderly.
Not true. Many families employ caregivers for their aging parents even though they are not ill. A caregiver can assist with showers, meal preparation, medication reminders, shopping, organizing, and more. Many home care providers also also provide disability, post-operative, and dementia care to those 18 and older.

#3: Home care is more expensive than assisted living.

According to Genworth’s 2015 Cost of Care survey, the national median hourly rate for home health care is $25/hour. In contrast, the national median cost of a one-bedroom residence in an assisted living community is $3,600 per month. There are many ways to pay for home care including reverse mortgages, VA benefits, and long-term care insurance.

                    How to Pay for Home Care with Life Insurance

For many hard-working adults, taking care of a loved one in need can be complicated and time consuming, often requiring the aid of a trained caregiver. Whether it’s for chronic pain sufferers, aging parents or family members recovering from an injury, in-home care is a worthy investment that unfortunately for some, simply isn’t in their budget.

The care of your loved ones should not cause financial hardship. For these instances, life insurance can often be used to pay for in-home senior and adult care. Here are a few things to know to get the financial assistance you need to extend a culture of care to your family.

Qualifications: Converting life insurance to what’s called a long-term care benefit plan is an option that all in-force life insurance types offer. These include term, whole, group and even universal insurance. Immediate need for care is a requirement that’s likely to be determined by the insurance provider.

Costs: Many providers offer this conversion at no additional cost. In fact, when most policies are switched, the subsidies begin helping immediately with no extra premiums and payments going directly to the care provider.

Payouts: Payouts for care-giving vary based on your life insurance policy and the number of months help is needed. Because the payouts are private pay, the money can be used for any type of care-giving, from assisted living to in-home care.

You may think that converting a life insurance policy to pay for in-home care would eliminate the funeral cost savings, but that isn’t the case. While the ultimate payout may be smaller, you’ll still receive a portion of your account to cover funeral expenses – typically $5,000.

Paying for the care your loved ones both need and want can be tricky, but life insurance is designed to help. Most long-term care benefit plans are accessible at any time and are even recognized by Medicaid as a qualified financial vehicle. If you want to learn more about paying for high-quality in-home care using life insurance, contact your life insurance provider or an insurance expert.

                   Restoring Confidence with Rehabilitative Care

From injuries to necessary surgeries, getting the help you need after an operation can be difficult. More often than not, the responsibility places a heavy burden on your loved ones and the life altering after effects can also result in post-operative depression.

For injured adults or those coming out of the hospital, rehabilitative and post-operative care is more than just physical therapy. Instead, it’s a personal service designed to help individuals recover and restore their confidence and independence.

Time to heal: Being able to devote time and energy to healing can be tough when also dealing with the daily responsibilities of life. Post-operative care offers that time by having a professional caregiver come in and tend to needs in the home and other errands so the focus can be on recovery.

Time to bond and connect: After leaving the hospital and returning home, the needs of the household can make it tough for quality bonding to take place with family. Post-operative care works as a way to help patients spend quality time with their family and ensure daily chores get accomplished at the same time.

Time to rejuvenate: Physical health improvements have routinely been linked to stronger emotional health. Rehabilitative services can help injured loved ones concentrate on becoming physically active again to become more accepting of their condition and in turn, improve their emotional well-being.
If you or your loved ones have been injured, are recovering, or recently returned home from a surgery, working with a post-operative care specialist can help regain confidence faster to improve overall well-being.

This article is provided by Patricia Khalil, MS, Managing Partner, FirstLight Home Care of Nashville/Franklin, TN. Visit http://www.firstlighthomecare.com/ to see what home care services FirstLight Home Care might offer in your city and state.

Patricia Khalil

Patricia Khalil, MS is Managing Partner with FirstLight Home Care of Nashville/Franklin, TN. Ms. Khalil has a 25+ yr. history in social services, both in the government public service sector, focusing on community education toward early cancer detection and prevention, as well as in various for-profit public health programs.

FirstLight Home Care is a top-rated, non-medical home care provider in the Nashville and Franklin areas, who has created optimal service delivery through a new standard in home care by combining best practices with innovative approaches to make us an emerging market leader in a rapidly growing industry. Companion and personal care services are provided at private residences, assisted living and retirement communities, nursing homes, adult-family homes or group homes. Clients include seniors, busy mothers, individuals recovering from surgery, adults with disabilities and anyone who might just need a little extra care or assistance. Visit NashvilleFranklin.FirstLightHomeCare.com to learn more or call us at 615-567-5857.