As you age, there is a likelihood that you will need, at some point, long-term care. You may only need this care for a year or two, or you could need it for decades. Life is unpredictable, so the best thing you can do is to prepare for that eventual need.
There are many parts of long-term care planning that you need to think about. For example, do you want to stay in your home? Do you need in-home care services to support that? Here are some more things to consider.
Making housing decisions
One of the first things you need to think about is if you want to stay in your home or go to assisted-living or a nursing home. If you need long-term care, being in a medical facility may be best, but most people prefer to stay in their own homes as long as possible.
There are resources to help people stay in their homes, such as in-home health care services. You may also want to begin planning for changes in your home, such as installing a walk-in shower or a wheelchair ramp.
When you’re deciding what kinds of changes to make, think about the illnesses that you or your spouse may have. Think about what might be hard to do. For instance, you may find it hard to climb stairs in the future, so you may wish to sell your home and move to a home with a single floor or opt for a chair lift.
You should also think about how to keep up with things like cooking and cleaning. You may need to hire a meal planning service or delivery service that brings meals to you. Perhaps you’ll want to hire help with gardening, grocery shopping or laundry. These are all things you need to plan for financially, so you can afford the services you need in the long term.
On top of these concerns, you should also remember that you may have medical devices or medical conditions to manage. In your long-term care plan, get together a list of people you can call for assistance ranging from doctors to friends and family, so you can make sure someone is always there to help you manage your care.
These are some tips for your long-term care planning. If you start planning early, you’ll be in a better position when you’re older.