Getting the Best Long-Term Care

Article submitted by Cedar Crest, an Erickson community in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, that offers independent living alongside a continuum of care. Renaissance Gardens, the health care neighborhood at Cedar Crest, provides Respite Care, Short-Term Rehabilitation, Assisted Living, and Long-Term Care to people living inside and outside Cedar Crest. For more information, contact the Health Care Counselor at Renaissance Gardens by calling 973-831-3755.

People who need immediate long-term care are in no shape to tour facilities or call agencies. It is a loved one, doctor, or hospital discharge planner who makes the big decisions. Planning ahead for long-term care allows you to comparison shop and gives you peace of mind.

Marilee Driscoll, author of the Idiot's Guide to Long Term Planning, faced the challenge of coordinating long-term care for several relatives, including her mother. Looking back, she says it's never too early to get started. “Do your legwork while you are still healthy. If you made provisions for how to pay for the care, you have lifted a tremendous burden off those who care about you,” she says.

Beginning this process can be challenging. The Roper/WellPoint Survey on Life, Health, and Aging, polled more than 1,000 older parents and their adult children, and found only 32% of parents confer with their children about long-term care. However, you should inform your family, friends, doctor, or financial or legal advisor in advance where you want to live if you need long-term care outside of your house. If you are making plans for your loved one's long-term care, discuss it thoroughly with your loved one first.
A long-term care insurance agent can work with you to provide cost of care information, and often knows a plan's pluses and minuses. For instance, the agent knows whether your long-term care planning can be changed or reversed.

You can't anticipate all your or your loved one's long-term care needs, such as the type of care needed, your support system, and the services that will be available, but the best plans offer flexibility. They let you and your loved one make changes along the way, such as shifting from independent living to assisted care. Getting the best long-term care often boils down to convenience and choice. Finding a facility that is close to home is ideal.