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\n\u201cIn our experience,\u201d Gott says, \u201cmost Americans plan for their own care late in the game, when affordable insurance is no longer an option. But it doesn\u2019t have to be that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
KIRKLAND, Wash., Sept. 25, 2017 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Have you been called upon to arrange care for an aging parent or other loved one? If so, \u201cit can be a blessing in disguise,\u201d says Denise Gott, CEO of ACSIA Partners, one of the nation\u2019s largest long-term care insurance agencies. \u201cIt can inspire you to plan ahead for your own care, without delay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cIn our experience,\u201d Gott says, \u201cmost Americans plan for their own care late in the game, when affordable insurance is no longer an option. But it doesn\u2019t have to be that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to industry estimates, only about 10 percent of those who could benefit from LTC insurance have policies. Why? \u201cThe main reason is that busy younger people are preoccupied with family and career. Their future care needs just aren\u2019t a priority, so they put off thinking about it,\u201d Gott explains.<\/p>\n
However, when they\u2019re called upon to plan care for someone else, they\u2019re forced to think about it. \u201cThe experience can be eye-opening and motivational. At a visceral level, they see and feel the need to plan for themselves. The trick is to act before the feeling fades.\u201d<\/p>\n
Helping someone else secure long-term care generally happens in one\u2019s 40\u2019s, 50\u2019s or 60\u2019s, an opportune time for appreciating two vital facts:<\/p>\n
(1) The majority of older people eventually need help with basic tasks of everyday existence. These include “activities of daily living” (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, using the toilet, transferring (to or from bed or chair), caring for incontinence, and eating.<\/p>\n
And these tasks also include “instrumental activities of daily living\u201d (IADLs) such as housework, managing money, taking medication, preparing and cleaning up after meals, shopping for groceries or clothes, using the telephone or other communication devices, caring for pets, and responding to emergency alerts such as fire alarms.<\/p>\n
(2) Care options and costs vary widely. Long-term care may be supplied by family members and\/or paid professionals. Family members generally charge nothing, but if helping out impacts their jobs, their lost income may run into the tens of thousands.<\/p>\n
Care services supplied by professionals fall into four main categories (average national costs per year shown in parentheses):<\/p>\n
(Data from the Genworth Cost of Care Survey.)<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you help Mom or Dad get care, these facts become crystal clear,\u201d says Gott. \u201cYou see what a difference early action can make.\u201d<\/p>\n
LTC insurance or another funding instrument can \u2013<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have state-certified agents throughout the U.S.,\u201d says Gott. \u201cThey are glad to walk anyone through these options, in person or by phone.\u201d<\/p>\n