You may be surprised to hear that it is likely that you will need living assistance at some point in time. According to the United States Department Of Health and Human Services 70% of Americans who reach the age of 65 will need help with their day-to-day needs eventually.
Many people will move into nursing homes or assisted living communities when physical challenges present themselves. This is a viable option, but these facilities can be extremely expensive. The national average for a year in a private room in a nursing home in 2011 was around $87,200. A yearlong residence in an assisted living community averaged just over $41,700.
An option that you could consider as an alternative to residing in a long-term care facility would be to modify your home to suit your needs while engaging the services of a home health aide. You could add handrails, grab bars, motion activated faucets, walk-in showers, and even elevators if necessary.
The cost of a home health aide sent out by licensed agency averaged $21 per hour in 2011, and depending on how much assistance you need this can be far more affordable than a stay in a long-term care facility.
The wise course of action is to be proactive about planning ahead for the eventualities of aging. If you would like to develop a cogent, intelligently-conceived long-term plan, take action right now to arrange for an informative consultation with an experienced Ashland, Kentucky elder law lawyer. The elder law attorney will evaluate your unique situation and create a plan that is carefully crafted to suit your needs.
John’s practice focuses on the use of Wills and Living Trusts in Estate Planning to help individuals protect their families and preserve their legacies after their deaths, but his practice also focuses on the critical issues of protecting individuals with dementia or other diminished capacity, assisting individuals in qualifying for Medicaid and other government benefits to offset the costs of long-term care, and providing special needs planning.
John is admitted to practice law in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Ohio, and he is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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