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Elder CareTips:
Mastering The Eldercare Maze™
November 15, 2005
Care Costs Are
Rising (What a Surprise)
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Not to anyone's surprise, the costs
associated with eldercare keep going up. Most recently in
the unhappy news was a new MetLife study reporting that
assisted living costs across the country rose an average of
15% last year to an average of $2,524 per month, or $30,288
per year. The highest monthly average base cost was reported
in Stamford, Connecticut at $4,327 while the lowest was
Miami, Florida at $1,340. These are averages - many
facilities charge much more.
This means that financial planning for eldercare is getting
more complicated by the day. What was once affordable is
growing out of reach for many, including those who are
already living in a facility. As needs grow, so do costs -
effectively pricing many residents out and into nursing
homes. Or back into the homes of relatives.
The implication, of course, is that we're never done
planning. What once looked like a great plan can go out of
date in an instant if either needs or costs go up.
One often-overlooked resource for financial help with
assisted living, available in some states, is a
Medicaid-Waiver program. Each state that has a waiver
program structures it differently, but many cover the costs
of assisted living as an alternative to nursing home care
if assisted living would be medically appropriate.
Medicaid dollars are used to pay part or all of the cost of
assisted living if this kind of residential alternative
would cost the same as, or less than, nursing home care.
(The "Waiver" part of the program name alludes to the
"waiving" of the requirement that the recipient be in a
nursing home to receive financial assistance.)
If assisted living is, or might be, a good option for your
elder place a call to your local Medicaid office (see the
blue pages of your phone book). Ask whether your state has a
Medicaid Waiver program, and if so, whether it covers
assisted living in any way. If your state does have such a
program, ask for any available written information about it
and how to qualify.
In the states that have them, Medicaid waivers are popular
and waiting lists are often long. If you think you might
want to take advantage of this kind of program you would be
most wise to get started as soon as possible.
In case you're interested, here is a partial list of average
assisted living costs around the country according to the
MetLife study:
Statewide, AK $3,757; Birmingham, AL $2,441; Little Rock,
AR $2,011; Tucson, AZ $2,057; San Diego, CA $2,103;
San Francisco, CA $2,630; Denver, CO $2,056;
Stamford, CT $4,327; Washington, DC $3,920;
Wilmington, DE $3,782; Orlando, FL $2,000; Atlanta, GA
$2,535;
Honolulu, HI $3,112; Des Moines, IA $2,139; Boise, ID
$2,317;
Peoria, IL $2,008; Fort Wayne, IN $2,638; Wichita, KS
$2,347;
Louisville, KY $2,438; New Orleans, LA $2,418;
Boston, MA $3,424; Silver Spring, MD $3,718; Billings, MT
$2,339;
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX $2,361; Milwaukee, WI $2,798.
It's tough to win at roulette, but people having a good
night are usually spreading their bets around. It's very
difficult to win betting everything on a single number.
Don't put all your hopes in a single bucket. Always
multiply the options for success.
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Elder CareTip:
Letting Others Know |
Instead of explaining to a waiter or waitress
that your dinner partner might have trouble understanding
the menu and ordering, how about this?
Hand a business-size card to the waiter or waitress that
says:
Please be patient with our order. The
person with me has memory problems.
Thanks for your understanding. |
This way, the waiter or waitress understands,
and probably will be more patient. At the same time, you
don't embarrass your dinner companion by explaining the
situation out loud.
This suggestion from ActivCare at Mesa and Point Loma, which
has these cards printed out for visiting caregivers.
From the temporary annoyance of a broken wrist to the
long-term disability of a stroke, learning to do things with
one hand is easier when you know the tricks.
One-Handed
in a Two-Handed World
isn't the prettiest book
I've ever come across, but it's chock full of good tips and
tricks that really work.
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