Living Well 60+ September-October 2014

M A G A Z I N E
2 8 SEPT/OCT 2 0 1 4
Senior Care:
When Living Alone Is No
Longer an Option
Consider different programs available
by Angela S. Hoover,
Staff Writer
Life expectancy
has increased dramatically,
but so
have the challenges of living with
an aged body and mind. For many
seniors, living alone is no longer
an option, be it due to a physical
condition or a neurological one
such as Alzheimer’s disease. When
this time comes for a family member
or even for yourself, there are
plenty of options.
The first thing to consider
doing is contacting the Kentucky
Department of Aging and
Presenting Sponsor
&
Independent Living (DAIL). Staff
and/or the Web site can provide
information about all services or
programs you and your family
qualify for. DAIL can also provide
listings of in-home caregivers,
home-health caregivers, assisted
independent living communities,
senior housing and full-facility
(nursing) homes. DAIL can also
connect you with caregiver respite
and counseling services. Call
1-800-372-2973 or visit http://
chfs.ky.gov/dail/default.htm for
more information.
About 70 million families opt
for family caregiving, where a
relative takes care of the elderly
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Registration: 5:30 pm
Hot Seat Event: 6:00-9:00 pm
Ticket Price: $100 (includes dinner)
Marriott Griffin Gate Ballroom
1800 Newtown Pike Lexington, KY 40511
Join us for our 3rd annual Hot Seat for HOPE
event! It is an honor to have Coach Joe B.
Hall in the “Hot Seat” this year! Proceeds
will benefit Kentucky CancerLink. The
mission of Kentucky CancerLinkis to provide
support to Kentuckians by removing and/
or reducing barriers to screening, diagnosis
and treatment of cancer. Visit our website:
www.kycancerlink.org for more information
and ticket purchase.
Hear former UK players, colleagues and
friends share their best stories and insights
about Coach Hall while supporting a great
cause! Roasters/Toasters will include Coach
Denny Crum, Terry McBrayer, Ben Chandler
and other special guests! We are pleased to
have Jack “Goose” Givens as emcee for the
event!
person in one of their homes. Oftentimes
the caregiver is unable to
work full or part time at an outside
job due to the time and energy demands
of caregiving. There is relief
for those families who are not able
to shoulder this economic burden.
Medicaid offers Cash and Counseling
grants in Kentucky that pay
a small stipend to the caregiver.
Visit www.cashandcounseling.org
or www.cms.hhs.gov/home/medicaid.asp
for more information.
In-home care and home-health
care allow someone to remain in
his or her own residence while
receiving varying degrees of assistance.
Home-health care requires
a physician to deem it medically
necessary; in-home care does
not. Medicaid may cover some or
all in-home care costs. Medicaid
waivers may be received through
DAIL.
Numerous national franchises,
private companies, volunteer and
free programs and individuals offer
in-home and home-health care
locally. In-home care providers
offer personal care services such
as bathing, meal preparation, laundry,
light housekeeping, errand
services, grocery shopping and
companionship. They also provide
live-in services with 24-hour care,
respite care, health monitoring
technology and private-duty nursing
care. Pricing varies according
to the level of service needed with
a median of $18-$19 an hour.
Home-health care is more expensive
because it requires a medical
healthcare professional who can
dispense medications.
The assisted living community
is the bridge between in-home
care and a full-service facility.
These campuses or apartment
complexes offer studios and oneand
two-bedroom private residences
with kitchens or kitchenettes
for independent living with
the safety net of care staff. The
care staff tends to housekeeping,
scheduled transportation, medical
and memory-loss services. Health
professionals are available 24/7 to
all residents. These communities
offer various amenities and entertainment
events. Some offer both
independent assisted living and
full-facility care options. Longterm
care insurance, Medicare,
Medicaid and sometimes Section
8 are available financing options.
On average, expect to pay a little
more than $2,000 a month for
minimal care at independent assisted
living communities.
Paying For Care
Government Programs
Medicare, eligible for those age
65 years and older, can help with
costs but will not cover everything.
It will not pay for most
long-term care; it does not pay for
custodial or personal care, which
accounts for most of the cost of
long-term care. However, Medicare
will pay for some nursing
home, hospice and home-health
care under certain conditions.
Medicaid is available for elderly
or disabled people with low incomes.
It generally covers most
types of long-term care, including
nursing-home care, home-health
care, personal care and hospice
care for those who qualify.
Be sure to check with DAIL
for other qualifying options and
resources.
Insurance
Check with your or your family
member’s insurance provider
about accelerated or living benefits
(to cash out a policy at about
50 percent to 75 percent of its face
value). If the issuing insurance
company won’t cash in the policy,
it can be sold to a third-party
company in return for a life settlement
or senior settlement for the
same payout rate. The third-party
company receives any benefits
after the insured’s death instead of
the original beneficiaries.
The assisted
living community
is the bridge
between in-home
care and a fullservice
facility.