Long Term Care Options

At the end of life: Many people can die from dementia; however they can also die with another disease which doesn’t relate to their dementia even though they suffer it. Usually, the dementia will be that far advanced towards the end of life the individual may not even know what is happening or may even be too ‘ill’ to understand. However, it is important as a care worker or any professional that is trained in end of life care (palliative care) to ensure the best quality of life until the end. Each individual should be treated equally, yet individually. These individuals must not be overlooked and still have rights as well as everybody else.

Taking care of the individuals that are getting older takes many different needs. Most of these needs cannot be given from the help of a family. This causes the need of having to put your love one into a home and causing for the worry of how they will be treated. It is important for the family and also the soon to be client to feel at home in their new environment. This has been an issue with the care being provided for each individual, which has lead to the need of making sure individuals have their own health care plan.

Individuals diagnosed with dementia have to face with the prospect of gradual loss of the capacity to make their own decisions. They need to think about and make their choises about care, treatment and money when they are not able to speak for themselves at some time in the future.

A is an 87 year old women, with a long history of health troubles including chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, a pacemaker insertion for her atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, colon cancer, breast cancer, mild cognitive impairment and most recently paranoid psychosis.

Death is an experience that we will all have to encounter at some stage in life, but for those with elderly parents or relatives, the experience becomes more real. “The experience of dying not only affects the person who is dying but also caregivers, family members, and friends who are left behind” (Osterbur, 2015, p. 102 ) and I can associate with that. My maternal grandmother suffered a major stroke and was later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.  She died in the hospital 2 years ago. Unfortunately, she was not a recipient of hospice care and the task of caring for her was done at home with the help of a hired aide and family members. Novak (2012), explains that many are faced with the dilemma of institutional death or at home and the decision to prolong care or end treatment can be burdensome (p. 411). It was an uphill battle and emotionally draining for my mom and

By the numbers, Alzheimer’s disease looks even worse than it may be. The cost of Alzheimer’s overwhelms the caregiver and everyone involved with the patient. The price businesses pay for Alzheimer’s it detrimental to their industry, show by “A 2002 study showed that United States businesses lost $36.5 billion that year because employees missed work or quit and had to be replaced so that they could care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease” (Adams 24). The caregivers play vital roles in the lives of the sufferer, but the business take an even heavier loss. Heath care is necessary for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, however it can get expensive “The costs of

Long-term care is vital in the United States health care system. As the population ages, more people will need assistance to recover from illness or injury, and others will need end of life care to ease their passing. People who use long-term care are all ages. From young to old, people can receive it if they cannot care for themselves because of a condition, an illness, or an injury that requires assistance for a period of 90 days or more. The concern people face when looking at long-term care is the funding. Medicaid will likely be drained of funds long before the country’s aging population is past its peak and while there are some options of insurance coverage, not everyone may afford them.

Imagine that you are a patient in an hospital in Ontario - you have undergone acute care and are now ready to enter a Long-term care (LTC) facility for additional care. Now imagine that you have entered a complex maze, like the Waterloo County County Corn Maze, only much trickier. Why?

If your senior loved one has a chronic illness or disability, they may benefit from investing in long-term care insurance. Medicare and employer-based insurance plans typically don't cover in-home care. Long-term care insurance is purchased separately and covers in-home care from health aides or caregivers. Because insurance companies typically will withhold payment for a certain time period after the insurance is purchased for seniors with pre-existing conditions, make sure your loved one has funds in savings or other sources to cover the care before the insurance begins to pay.

     It is inevitable that eventually each of us will grow old and begin to face more and more health problems as our age rises. Elderly people are challenged by many illnesses and diseases that unfortunately, are incurable. One disease that becomes more common as people age is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s a common cause and a form of dementia and can severely damage a patient’s cognitive functions and can ultimately cause death. Living with Alzheimer’s disease can be saddening for both the sufferer and the family. Family and friends will find it very hard to cope when a loved one begins slipping away and losing memory of who they are.

Looking at the imminent departure of the once baby boomer generation, it is critical the community be well-informed regarding development economically for possibility of long-term care and that the legislative policy creators offer motivation for this type of preparation. The private sector tax offer alternatives such as 401(k)’s and IRA’s are an sign of motivation to bank funds aside when able to, but other alternatives have to be developed if a person wants to be ready for the future demands on long-term care. This incredible boost will have needed to combine both public and private sector initiatives. Medicaid, Self-pay, or insurance companies could cover long-term care expenses.

Acute care and long-term care are both continuum care, but there are many differences between these types of facilities. When people are severely injured or ill, they seek treatment at an acute care facility. “Acute care is medical care designed to treat and/or cure an acute condition, for example, a heart attack or stroke” (http://eldercarehelper.com, 2016). Acute care facilities usually release patients before the 30th day and treatment is provided by a physician. In long-term is provide for patients that need continuum care, but less intensive treatment. “Long-term care facilities offer medical care to patients who need…less intensive level then that provided at an acute care facilities” (Gartee, 2011). The patients usually stay longer

For many people younger than 50, long-term care insurance seems like something to worry about for the future. Some young adults feel as though long term care insurance may not be a topic to discuss at their age because they are young and healthy. However, young adults should be thinking about long term care as early as possible. As we can see in healthcare news and headlines, long-term care cost is rising and factors can include your age, medical conditions, and overall need for care. According to, Rich Arzaga, founder and CEO of Cornerstone Wealth Management who states, “They'll ask about (long-term care) at the age of 55 or 60 when their parents are going through these issues. They don't have the fear of reality until they're over 55." Physical aging is unavoidable, but becoming wise and educated on long term care insurance at a young age can help many in the future.

Borrayo, Salmon, Polivka, and Dunlop (2002) assert that fostering a closer connection with eldercare services and providers and the needs of the community will demonstrate the importance for policymakers regarding long-term care now and in the future as the aging population continues to increase. Byrd, Fletcher and Menifield (2007) state evidence supports that health disparities regarding minority older adults are a problem that can no longer be overlooked. The authors offer that individual healthcare providers must acknowledge that the problem exists and assess their practices concerning combating issues of disparities (Byrd et al., 2007). They posit that older adults in minority communities incur a higher percentage for missed diagnoses,

Unlike traditional health insurance, long-term care insurance is designed to cover long-term services and supports, including personal and custodial care in home, community organizations, or other facilities. Policyholders can select range of care options and benefits depending on their needs. In most policies, benefits are payable based on insured’s inability to perform two or three specific ADLs, such as eating, dressing, bathing, continence, toileting and transferring. The cost of your long-term care policy is based on age of the time insured buy the policy, the maximum amount of benefits that a policy will pay per day, the maximum periods that a policy will pay, any optional benefits, such as benefits that increase with inflation. The premiums will be less expensive if the insured is young, but the less immediately useful it is and the greater the risk of losing all they have paid in if they stop before they need the benefits. If insured are in poor health or already receiving long-term care services, they may not qualify for long-term care insurance as most individual policies in the underwriting process. However, these applicants still have some options to buy a limited amount of coverage, or coverage at a higher premiums rate.