Planning for Long Term Care

October is Long Term Care Planning Month. This annual observance was designed to bring awareness to the costs that accompany senior healthcare services and how to best prepare for them.

Planning in advance is always the best option, even when the idea of long term care may seem far off in the future, the need for it may come much sooner than you expect.
 
When you aren’t sure if you or your loved one may need assisted living or memory care, planning for long term care may seem intimidating, and accurately predicting the need for care in the future may feel impossible.

​If your loved one is still active and self-sustaining, the realization that long term care may be in their future can be harder to determine. Certain health conditions simply create too many difficulties for living on your own as these conditions progress and so the transition into long term care can become inevitable. 

Staying Well Informed

​Staying well informed on your own or your loved one’s health conditions and the ways in which they may progress, is vital to planning for the future. Keeping up with regular doctor appointments in order to maintain overall health and wellness is the first step in planning for long term care. Your doctor will be able to keep an eye on your health status and help to ensure you stay informed on what potential risk factors have changed. They can also be a good indicator and outside medical opinion of whether or not long term care may be in your loved one’s future. 

A Multitude of Deciding Factors

Choosing to move into an assisted living or memory care community comes with a multitude of deciding factors.

Those suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, or other cognitive impairments would best benefit from a memory care community.

There are several different forms of memory loss, though they all often end up with similar symptoms that lead to one needing long term care. The ability to ensure your loved one’s safety is often a key factor that leads to the transition into long term care. 

A person who needs assistance with activities of daily living, or ADLs, such as going to the restroom, walking, bathing, eating, and getting dressed, would benefit greatly from an assisted living community.

​If you or your loved one are noticing that any extra help is needed with these activities, it may be time to discuss transitioning into an assisted living facility. 

Knowing What to Look For

Knowing what to look for can help to more accurately determine whether or not it's time for you or your loved one to look into long term care options. The next step would be to start saving so you can choose the best option that fits with your needs and budget. Take a look at our financial planning tips for some of the best advice to prepare yourself for the costs of assisted living and memory care.
 
Melody Living is proud to offer one simple monthly fee and care levels that ensure our residents only pay for the services they need, because long term care should have to be a burden.

​Discover how you can be living a Life in Harmony™ with Melody Living’s personalized care plans. Give us a call at 847.957.7070 to schedule a tour of our assisted living and memory care communities and find out more about planning for your loved one’s needs.