Choose the Right Long Term Care

(Formerly "Avoiding the Nursing Home Trap")
When taking care of your aging parents, there are many alternatives to expensive nursing homes -- some you may never have heard of, or considered before. This consumer's guide to assisted living and long-term care facilities can show you little-known tips and tricks on getting the best care for the money you have to work with.

It explains what you'll need as far as wills, living trusts, power of attorney and health directioves are concerned. Shows how to find different home care services, alternative methods of financing them, and supplemental care programs available. Covers independent and assisted living homes, nursing facilities, rules on asset protection and much more. If you are looking at the alternatives to where your aging parent is currently living, but feel you may not need a nursing home, you should have this book handy.
288 pages, 8 x 10, 21.95

In Stock
Ships in 24 hours

Contents

1: What is Long Term Care?
Complex Questions of Long-Term Care
How This Book Guides You and Your Family
Exploring Long-Term Care Options
Recognizing and Discussing the Problem
Getting Help From Others
Assessing Medical Needs
Assessing Personal Needs and Capabilities
Laws Providing for Family Leave
Making a Realistic Family Commitment
Staying at Home
Moving in With Family
Entering a Residential Facility
The Ability to Pay
Help With Paying
Determining Income and Assets
Help Getting Started: Geriatric Care Managers
Where to Find Geriatric Care Managers
Evaluating a Geriatric Care Manager
Additional Considerations
Health Care Directives
Durable Powers of Attorney for Finances
Wills
Living Trusts


2: At Home Care
What is Home Care?
Independence
Financial Savings
Quality of Care
How to Find Home Care Services
Friends and Relatives
Hospital Personnel
Physicians
Nursing Registries
National, State and Local Agencies and Organizations
Senior Centers
Volunteer Organizations
Services Offered Through Home Care
Medical Services
Medical and Safety Equipment and Supplies
Non-Medical Personal Care
Kinds of Home Care Providers
Full-Service Home Care Agencies
Support-Care Agencies
Independent and Informal Arrangements
What to Look for in a Home Care Agency
Certification
Reputation
Service and Flexibility
Personnel Standards
What Does Not Matter in Choosing an Agency
Getting Started With Home Care
Developing a Care Plan
Getting Regular Providers
Supervising and Reviewing
Costs of Home Care
Sliding Scale (Income-Based) Fee Policy
Cost Varies With Service and Skill Level
Beware the Hidden Charges
Financing Home Care Through Reverse Mortgages
Drawbacks of Reverse Mortgages
Protecting Your Interests
Cashing in a Life Insurance Policy
Accelerated or Living Benefits
Viatical Settlements
Supplements to Home Care
Meals-on-Wheels
Adult Daycare and Respite Care
Senior Centers
County Health Screening
Family Education Programs
Additional Services

3: Organized Senior Residences
Independent Living
The Basics
Costs
Rules and Restrictions
Assisted Living
The Basics
Costs
Rules and Restrictions
Combination Residential Facilities
Multi-Level Residences
Continuing Care Retirement Communities

4: Nursing Facilities
Levels of Care
Hospital-Based Skilled Nursing Facilities
Intermediate Care Facilities
Custodial Care Facilities
Facilities for Alzheimer's or Dementia Sufferers
Choosing the Right Facility
Ownership and Management
Cost
The Facility
Services and Activities
Other Residents
Staff
Food
Family Involvement
Decision-Making
Entering a Formal Residence Contract
What to Look for in a Written Agreement

5: Medicare and Veteran's Benefits
Medicare Coverage for Long-Term Care
Skilled Nursing Facility Care
Medicare Home Care Coverage
Veterans' Benefits for Long-Term Care
Eligibility for Veteran's Benefits
Nursing Facility Care Covered by Veterans' Benefits

6: Medicaid Coverage for Long-Term Care
Eligibility for Medicaid
Home Care: Income and Assets Limits
Special Nursing Facility Medicaid Rules
What Medicaid Pays for
Medicaid-Certified Providers Only
Medicaid Home-Care Coverage
Medicaid Nursing Facility Coverage
Finding Out About Medicaid in Your State
What to do if you are Denied Medicaid Coverage

7: Medicaid and Asset Protection
Medicaid Rules on Transfer of Assets
Penalized Transfers
Permissible Transfers
Removing Assets From Medicaid Consideration
Transfers 36 Months Before Medicaid Application
Investments in Your Home
Investing in Other Exempt Assets
Transferring Non-Exempt Assets
Transferring Non-Exempt Assets to At-Home Spouse
Transferring Assets to Children or Others
Payments to Children for Services
Medicaid and Divorce
Special Insurance Available in Some States

8. Protecting Choices About Medical Care and Finances
Health Care Decisions
Documents Protecting Medical Care Choices
Difference Among Medical Care Documents
What to Include in a Health Care Directive
Choosing a Health Care Attorney-in Fact or Proxy
Legal Rules and Conditions
Changing Your Mind -- and Documents
Obtaining the Right Medical Directive Form
What to do With Your Completed Documents
Financial Decisions
Powers of Attorney and Medicaid
Guardianships and Conservator ships
Full Guardianship

9: Estate Planning: Controlling Your Money and Property
The Basic Need: a Will
Avoiding Probate
Joint Tenancy
Pay-On-Death Accounts, Stocks and Bonds
Life Insurance
Retirement Accounts
Living Trusts
Savings on Real Estate Taxes
Marital Trusts
Gifts
State Death Taxes
Managing Property

10: Long-Term Care Insurance
Risks and Benefits
Warnings About Insurance Practices
Extent of Coverage
Custodial Care Nursing Facilities
Assisted Living Facilities
Home and Community Care
Coverage Conditions and Exclusions
Prior Hospital or Skilled Nursing Facility Stay
Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion
Qualifying for Benefits: Necessity of Care
Premiums
Initial Premium Cost
Terms of Renewal or Premium Hikes
Waiver of Premiums
Benefit Amounts
Flexible Benefit pay-Out
Elimination or Waiting Period
Inflation Protection
Refund Provisions
Non-Forfeiture Provisions
Reduced Paid-Up Provisions
Death Refunds
Survivorship Provisions

Appendix Resource Directory
Aging, State Offices
Caregiver Support Groups
Home Care, Community Programs and Senior Residences
National Organizations
State Organizations
Insurance--Long-Term Care
State Departments of Insurance
State Offices on Aging
Legal Assistance
Licensing and Certification
Agencies on Nursing Care Standards
Nursing Facility License and Certification Offices
Nursing Facility and Alternative Residence Organizations
Ombudsman Offices
Reverse Mortgage and Home Equity Conversion Assistance
Viatical Settlement Assistance