Caregiving Wife's Handbook
Alzheimer's Information
Helpful Strategies to Help Pay for Alzheimer’s Care
By Lydia Chan
[Lydia is the co-creator of Alzheimerscaregiver.net, a website that aims to provide tips and resources to help caregivers. Her mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Lydia found herself struggling to balance the responsibilities of caregiving and her own life. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge and experiences with caregivers and seniors. In her spare time, Lydia finds joy in writing articles about a range of caregiving topics.]
Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease? Are you worried about paying for the ever-increasing costs of care? Alzheimer’s is a debilitating disease that can lead to hundreds and thousands of dollars in costs. Not only do those with Alzheimer’s usually require day-to-day care at some point, but they are also at an increased risk for falls and serious injury, which can lead to even more medical costs. Figuring out how you are going to pay for it can be incredibly difficult if you don’t know your options or who to turn to. To get started on the path of paying for Alzheimer’s care, follow these steps.
Figure Out How Much You Need to Pay
According to For Alzheimer’s Families, the national average hourly rates for home care workers is about $19, while adult day care services are approximately $70. However, specialized dementia care, such as those that Alzheimer’s patients commonly need, is often more expensive. In total, it is estimated that an individual with Alzheimer’s will need approximately $174,000 of care over their lifetime, not including basic needs costs such as food. This figure is only projected to grow in the future, which makes the bottom line very frightening for most families. These costs can be debilitating if you do not approach them correctly.
Medicare and Medicaid
Sadly, Medicare does not pay for much when it comes to dementia and Alzheimer’s. According to Medicare.com, Medicare does not pay for things like nursing homes or adult day care. It might pay for hospital and medical care for those with Alzheimer’s disease but will generally not pay for these long-term care facilities. If your doctor believes some at-home services are necessary, they can be provided by a home health agency certified by Medicare. While things such as in-home meal delivery are not provided, certain types of therapy and medical care are.
In the very late stages of Alzheimer’s, hospice care might be provided. This includes short-term, end-of-life care. In order to qualify, you must opt for comfort care instead of medical treatment and be in the late stages of Alzheimer’s. Hospice care can provide vital around-the-clock medical services and personal attention while your loved one is in the last stages of their life.
Supplementary Plans
Besides Medicare and Medicaid, there are supplementary plans that can help you pay for Alzheimer’s care. These include things like Humana Medicare Advantage plans, which give you an alternate way to get Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, and Medicare Supplements, which help you cover some of the deductibles and premiums of Medicare. There are also grants and local groups that might be available to help with some of the costs. Usually, your loved one’s medical team will know of services in your area that can help you pay.
Choosing the Right Care
Generally, in-home care is cheaper than an assisted living facility. There are many types of in-home care, such as personal care services and homemaker services. During the early stages of Alzheimer’s, these might be the only services needed. However, as the disease progresses, specialized care will become necessary. When the patient begins exhibiting more symptoms, confused behaviors, and mental regression occurs, having someone who is aware of how to deal with these behaviors is necessary.
When Alzheimer’s reaches the late stages, it is almost always necessary for them to be moved into a specialized facility. While some families see this as a sign of their failure, it is nearly always necessary. Late-stage Alzheimer’s patients require a lot of specialized, around-the-clock care, which is nearly impossible to give at home. These facilities cost at least $45,000 a year, with private rooms at a nursing home reaching $97,455 per year. For most people, figuring out how to pay for these costs can be difficult.
Alzheimer’s is a complex disease, and figuring out how to pay for the care that goes along with it can be equally complicated. By arming yourself with the knowledge presented in this guide, you can make conscious decisions about how you will cover the costs of Alzheimer’s care.
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