Caregiver Tips for Making Long-Term Care Decisions Amid COVID
The coronavirus crisis isn’t an ideal time to be making long-term care decisions for yourself or anyone else, but it can’t be avoided for long if you have a senior or disabled loved one whose health is declining. Here are some tips on making the best possible care decisions for your loved one, despite health and safety concerns amid COVID-19.
1. Compare Nursing Home Facilities Online
If your senior or disabled loved one’s health continues to decline, the first step to planning his or her long-term care is to determine whether assisted living, home health care, or skilled nursing care is needed. While in-home services are an affordable alternative to paying for nursing home care or assisted living, skilled nursing care is typically the best option for patients requiring extensive care and ongoing assistance with activities of daily living(ADLs).
If you feel that a nursing home center could be the best option for your loved one, you can begin your long-term planning by comparing local facilities online during the pandemic. To do it, use websites like SeniorCaring.com to find and compare nursing home communities in your city and state. Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few options, it’s best to contact each nursing home facility directly to learn more about its admissions process and the types of medical documents you’ll need to provide when applying.
2. Sell Your Loved One’s Home
According to the U.S. News & World Report, the average monthly cost for a private room in a nursing home hit $8,365 in 2018 — with semi-private rooms costing slightly less at $7,441 a month. While actual nursing home fees vary by location and length of stay, you can budget for the high cost of long-term care by selling your loved one’s home or exploring other options like veterans benefits, long-term care insurance, and even Medicare or Medicaid policies.
In some cases, your loved one’s Medicare policy may cover a portion of his or her nursing home care — or your senior or disabled loved one may qualify for nursing home coverage through Medicaid.
If selling your loved one’s home seems like the best option for your family, there are plenty of ways to do it safely amid COVID-19. Thanks to modern-day technologies like virtual open houses, 3D walkthroughs, and video-chat tours, you can safely show your loved one’s home to prospective buyers — all without bringing strangers into the home for physical showings. By completing a few important steps, you’ll get your loved one’s home ready to sell in no time at all:
1. Find a tech-savvy real estate agent to list your loved one’s home.
2. Declutter, depersonalize, and clean the home from top to bottom.
3. Decide whether to stage the home traditionally or virtually.
4. Make any necessary home repairs and improvements.
3. Get a Power of Attorney and Living Will
When making long-term care decisions for your senior or disabled loved one, it’s also important to obtain the legal forms and documents needed to act on your loved one’s behalf in the event of a sudden injury or impairment. By obtaining a living will and POA (also known as a Power of Attorney), you’ll be able to make important financial and medical decisions in the event that your loved one cannot make these decisions for him or herself.
Plan Today for Greater Peace of Mind Tomorrow
If your loved one’s health has continued to decline over the past few months, you may have been waiting for the pandemic to end before making any long-term care decisions for him or her. However, nobody really knows when the coronavirus crisis will officially end — and your long-term care planning shouldn’t wait any longer if your loved one’s condition is worsening. Instead, get your loved one the specialized assistance he or she needs by starting your long-term care planning today.