At some point in your life, you may need long-term care for a health condition or because of your age. It is important to look into setting up long-term care options now so that they are available when you need them.
Having the right plan for your long-term care can make it much easier to get that care set up when you need it. Here are a few steps to help you make the best possible plan.
- Get long-term care insurance
To start with, one thing to do is to obtain long-term care insurance. This insurance will kick in when you need longer-term care in a nursing home, for example. Since the average cost of a nursing home for a year-long stay is approximately $48,612 (as of 2019), you can see why it’s so important to have financial coverage.
- Choose the support that you want in advance
The next thing to do is to look at different care facilities and medical care options. You should decide which kinds of nursing homes or long-term care facilities that you approve of. Plan for your care based on the options you choose. Your plan may be different if you plan to stay in your own home compared to staying at a facility, and you can plan accordingly.
- Talk to your loved ones about your choices
Finally, make sure you talk to your loved ones about your choices. Let them know if you have decided on a nursing home or in-home health care provider. Provide them with information on your long-term care insurance policy and where to find it if they need to contact the insurer after you fall ill or are injured.
Having an open conversation about long-term care will make sure that everyone is on board with what could happen in the future. Not everyone will need long-term care, but knowing that you have a plan in place in case of illness or injury can help you feel better about the future. A good plan can help reduce stress when an emergency does happen or if long-term care is needed unexpectedly.
