How can you prepare for needing long-term care?

As you age, it’s important to start looking into your long-term care options. You want to plan for your long-term care early because you may not get the opportunity to do so once you reach a time when you need it.

While most people don’t want to think about a time when they need support from outside sources, the reality is that around 70% of people will need some kind of long-term care in the future. Whether that means needing assistance with getting dressed, taking medications or other daily activities, you need to plan for that possibility.

How can you prepare for your long-term care needs?

To start with, you need to learn about what kinds of long-term care are available. There are now skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers, in-home health services and so many other options. Study the options you’re interested in, so you can be prepared to use them in the future.

Another thing to do is to see what’s local to you. You should see if any of the facilities you were interested in are local and check on the quality of the care provided.

Next, plan for the expense of entering into long-term care. The way you pay for care can vary. For example, Medicare can pay for some custodial care, such as in-home personal care assistance each day.

If you haven’t started planning yet, now is a great time to look into it. Your attorney can help you learn more about your local options and what to expect if you have to use long-term care options in the future.