Get clarity on how to pay for senior home care in San Diego to keep families united and ease everyone’s mind. Every family struggles with the financial challenges of aging.
88-year-old Larry is a true Texan: born, raised & lived most of his adult life in Houston. Professionally, Larry was a well-known anesthesiologist, working into his late 60s. He eventually sold his practice and decided to move out west. It was shortly after his relocation to the west coast that he met his “encore sweetheart,” Tina.
Tina is originally from Ohio but has lived the greater part of her adult life in San Diego. She was a successful interior designer and happened to sell her business around the same time of meeting Larry.
Today, Larry acts as Tina’s primary caregiver and he can’t leave her alone when he goes to run errands or to his own doctor’s appointments.
Larry had other folks involved in his care team, including a daughter and neighbor who would also take turns watching over Tina, to give Larry a break. Recently, Larry reached out to Love 2 Live to say his daughter is out of town and the neighbor is no longer available to help. He now needs more regular help from Love 2 Live but is concerned about being able to pay for it.
Love 2 Live was able to reach out to our friends over at the Southern Caregiver Resource Center (SCRC) and secure some respite care funding to help support Larry & Tina. SCRC agreed to fund (24) hours of respite care to Larry for the month of July 2017, as it was evident he had an urgent need for help. This support allowed Larry to maintain his normal routine and lessen his risk of caregiver burnout!
Securing private senior care is intimidating enough for families just embarking on getting help for a senior loved one. (Read our post “Working with Love 2 Live: What Seniors and Their Families Can Expect.”) Figuring out how to pay for it when figures like “$5,000 a month!” float around the internet be flat out frightening.
The good news is that keeping your senior in his or her own home is cheaper than most nursing homes/assisted living. It also provides much-needed comfort for your aging senior.
If in-home care doesn’t involve doctor/nurse medical needs, then Medicare will not cover costs. But there are some other cost-saving payment options available:
Utilizing a Reverse Mortgage
While ads for reverse mortgages make them seem commercial, they were developed by the government to help seniors keep their homes for as long as possible. Reverse mortgages are overseen by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The senior has to be 62 or older and own the home. The home’s equity is turned into monthly payments or a lump sum. Even if the loan balance exceeds the home’s worth, the senior is entitled to stay in the home until his or her death. At that point the home must be sold.
Long-term Care Insurance (LTC)
Consumer Reports recommends purchasing long term care insurance after the age of 60. Subscribers can choose a daily or monthly care allowance. A plan may pay out $75 per day for in home care. Long-term care subscribers can choose different coverage areas like in home care rather than assisted living. Sometimes, family members providing in home care can be paid from the long-term care policy.
Medicaid for Low-Income Seniors
In California, several Medicaid programs help seniors at home. The NF/AH Waiver covers some care for seniors with severe needs. The MSSP Waiver gets funding for caregivers of seniors who need less care. Single, elderly Californians can only have $2,000 in assets and $14,640 in annual income to qualify, although there are exceptions.
Get more details about Medicare for in-home senior care.
Converting a Life Insurance Policy
Often, the best use of the life insurance policy is to help families take care of aging loved ones. Most life insurance companies allow policyholders to convert their policy into cash and/or home care services. Calling the policy holder’s life insurance company will get the answers that ease the minds of many family members.
When and How Love 2 Live Charges for Home Senior Care
During our in-home assessment we present our new client and their family members with a full outline of all expected charges. Rather than issuing a lengthy contract with long-term obligation, we instead ask our clients to sign a simple two-page Service Agreement. This agreement outlines the hourly rate that will be charged for all care provided. It also indicates that we only expect payment for care actually provided (we never ask for advance payment equal to one month’s of care, which we have heard is the practice of some of our competitors).
Our billing process is quite smooth. At the end of every two-week billing period we generate invoices and send to clients, or a client affiliate like a family member, fiduciary, or long-term care insurance provider who is handling payment. Many of our clients and their family members appreciate that we email our invoices, yet some do still appreciate getting a hard copy sent in the mail. Clients have the option to pay via check or credit card. Some clients choose for us to securely retain their credit card information which allows us to automatically charge their full invoice amount at the end of each billing period. We follow-up by sending a paid receipt and it’s as easy as that!
Love 2 Live Care Helps Families Understand How to Pay for Senior
Home Care in San Diego
When you’re ready to discuss your options of how to pay for senior home care in San Diego, call us at 619-291-4663 to schedule a free, no-obligation assessment. During the assessment, we get to know the senior and any family members, medical issues, routines and more, to find an ideal caregiver match. Don’t wait until a crisis to get outside help. Plan now so that care options can be rolled out whenever needed. We look forward to getting to know you and your family!