Family caregiving has become somewhat of a tradition in our country. Did you know that the AARP estimates that over 40 million Americans have stepped into the “family caregiver” role and are providing care for an aging, ill, or disabled family member? For a whole host of reasons, however, family caregiving is not always the right option.
A family member may not be willing or able to provide the necessary care due to the emotional stress that comes with being a family caregiver or the demands of his or her everyday life. Even if there is a family member available to take on the role of caregiver, there are many times when a family caregiver would not be able to provide enough care because the family member in need of care requires more complex medical assistance or around-the-clock attention.
In situations when you need to find alternate care for yourself or a loved one because family caregiving is not enough or is not available, it can be important to talk to an elder law attorney. Your family may have a variety of options for coverage, including Medicare, Medicaid, VA Pension Benefits, and some state sponsored programs. An attorney specializing in elder law will be able to work with you and your loved one to create a strategy to address how to plan for and how to pay for long term care.
Long term care, whether in-home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home, can be prohibitively expensive. There may be many options that you can discuss with an elder law attorney to ensure that neither you nor your family become impoverished paying for long term care. The advanced care planning that the attorney assists with can also allow the family member who needs care to discuss health care plans and wishes and complete all of the required legal documents.
For assistance with long term care planning for you or your loved one, please reach out to our office. We help families navigate this process even in times of crisis.