Long Term Care
Today, there are many people in need of long term care. The number of people needing this service is constantly increasing. Long term care provides support to people that is experiencing health issues, mental issues, and disabilities. The care provided may be formal or informal. People who receive long term care are elderly, disabled, or mentally challenged.
Elderly people need long term care due to different reasons. A lot of elderly people have crippling diseases or a diagnosis that causes physical or cognitive weakness. Some elderly people are forgetful due to Alzheimer’s disease. People suffering from these ailments may need assistance with activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living. Health care staff assists with bathing, grooming, walking, eating, transferring from one place to the other, and transportation.
Individuals who are mentally challenged also receive some form of long term care. A lot of mentally challenged people live in sheltered homes. They have on-site staff that assists with meal preparation and also assists with ADLs as needed. Staff in sheltered homes allows the individual to be as independent as possible. If the person needs help with something, a staff member is readily available.
Getting access to long term services can be challenging, especially for elderly people who receive Medicare. Medicare has strict limits on its authority to pay for nursing home care, home care, assisted living, adult day services, and many other long term care services. Due to these strict limits, it’s probably almost impossible to receive long term care services through Medicare. Medicaid provides long term care services. Private insurance companies are legislatively mandated by state or federal authorities to pay for services associated with acute episodes of care rather than chronic care. If the individual does not have Medicaid, expenses for long term care will probably have to be paid by...