There are many things about nursing home care that strike fear, resentment, sadness or resignation in both patients and family members. 38 years ago when I handled my first Medicaid related case, people still labored under the impression that nursing homes were for the poor, forgotten or abandoned. They were often little better than old failed motels that had been rehabilitated in some fashion to allow their owners to profit from the relatively small number of people who needed custodial care 24/7.
Over that same 38 years many things have changed. The market has matured, more competitors have entered the field, standards, practices and enforcement of those have gotten much better. But, still, very few people ever pack up a bag, grab an Uber, and walk through the front door of a Nursing Facility and ask if they can check in the “rest of my life.”
The reality is that the medical profession has made it possible for us to outlive the useful life of our bodies to move about and/or outlive our mental ability to maintain orientation and focus in order to be safe at home. It is because science has progressed with extending life, without concomitantly extending the quality of life, that so many elderly people find themselves “placed” in a nursing facility. It is not really the fault of medicine either. There is now evidence for the proposition that our DNA is programmed to make us age and expire. It is no one’s fault, it is simply an unintended side effect of our modern emphasis on long term survival.
In any event, it is a statistical reality that everyone who does not happen to have an extra $7,100 per month for care should plan for Long Term Care expenses.
This article is written by an attorney at Attorney Donald Wyatt PC. Always consult an attorney before making any legal decisions. To make an appointment today, please click here to contact us.