How to Get Started if You’re Under 50
Long term care is something no one wants to think about, but it’s something that will likely be a necessity for all of us. If you’re under 50, planning for long term care may seem like something that can be put off, but in reality, it’s never too early to start. There are a few simple things that you should know and can do today that will make tomorrow a whole lot easier.
Things You Should Know
Medicare only pays for long-term care if you require skilled services or rehabilitative care. Medicare does not pay for non-skilled assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADL), which make up the majority of long-term care services. For more information, see https://longtermcare.acl.gov/medicare-medicaid-more/index.html
Long-term-care is more expensive than you may think, and you will likely be responsible for paying for the care you will require. Start thinking about how you will pay for the care you may need. See Costs & How to Pay for further information.
By obtaining an Advanced Care Directive, you can inform your family or loved ones about how to make important health decisions for you, should you no longer be able to make those decisions for yourself. See Advance Care Plan Considerations for more information.
Things You Can Do
- Learn all you can about:
- Costs of Care
- Long-term care insurance
- Options for paying privately
- Obtain an Advanced Care Directive
- Learn how you can stay healthy and reduce some of the risks of aging.
If you need help with any stage of long term care planning, contact an experienced elder law attorney.
See the second part of our series on Planning for Long Term Care – Steps to Take if You’re Between 50 and 64 — in our next article, March 26, 2018.
If you need legal assistance in managing an estate, trust or other elder law issue, the Law Office of Scott C. Painter can help. We specialize in elder law issues ranging from nursing home planning, guardianship, wills, trusts, estates, veteran’s benefits, and other related legal matters. A call to us is free, and the best advice is to act now to educate yourself and your options. Waiting to seek legal counsel may limit your options and be costly. Call now for your free consultation 610-378-5140 or visit https://painterelderlawpc.com/ for more information.