As people grow older, they may face challenges that don’t concern younger adults. Many have to deal with burgeoning or ongoing health issues related to the deterioration of muscle mass and bone loss, or merely the overall decline of aging. Some develop mental issues such as memory loss and confusion. And others must cope with serious ailments, diseases, and injuries that leave them partially or totally incapacitated (not to mention the emotional strain that goes along with physical or mental decline). Although many adults continue to enjoy an active lifestyle as they enter their twilight years thanks to advances in medicine and careful planning of diet and exercise, there are plenty who will require the help of assisted living facilities in order to live. But these services can definitely be on the expensive side, and many senior citizens could have problems paying.
However, there are ways to get assistance for assisted living. The most common method is through Medicare or Medicaid. Depending on where you live and the type of issues you’re dealing with, you may qualify for nursing home assistance, especially if there are sponsored programs and facilities in your area. You’ve been paying into the system your whole working life, so don’t hesitate to look into such programs and take advantage of them now. In essence, they’re really only returning the portion of your salary that you gave them for safekeeping over the years. And those who served in the military should check with the VA to see if there are any applicable benefits to cover assisted living services or facilities.
You may also want to familiarize yourself with BenefitsCheckUp. This service, offered by Caring.com and the National Council on Aging, is great for seniors seeking help with some of the many financial issues they may face in their dotage. Although benefits are not provided by this site, it does offer advice on how to find the type of benefits you’re seeking, whether you need help paying for health care, prescriptions, meals, or even household utilities and other bills. And for those in need of assisted living services or facilities, this is the place to start.
You can begin by searching for benefit programs that meet your needs and that you qualify for, as well as enroll in any that may apply to you. First you’ll be asked to fill out a short questionnaire so that the program can assess your personal needs and make recommendations that are tailored to your situation and criteria. You can either fill it out online for immediate results or print out a form to mail in, if you prefer. Then you’ll be directed to benefits programs (federal, state, local, and private) that could help to save you money while you meet your assisted living needs. You’ll have to enroll and be accepted, but the hard work of seeking out applicable programs is done for you.
Whether you are yourself an elderly person in need of assistance or you are the relative or friend of someone who needs help paying for assisted living, there are resources out there to get you on track for savings. By simply contacting the appropriate governmental agencies or taking the time to answer a few questions on services like BenefitsCheckUp, the cost of assisted living could become far more manageable.
Sarah Danielson writes for Dunwoody Assisted Living the premier assisted living facility in Georgia.
