Dear Toni:
I desperately need your help regarding my husband’s parents who are in their late 80s. My mother-in-law has been very sick for the past 3 years and my father-in-law has been her caretaker. I’ve always heard that the one, who becomes the caretaker, also becomes one who needs additional medical care. He has never been a sick person, but now he cannot help her. He has lost almost 50+ pounds in the past year and has just been released from the hospital because he was so dehydrated and has lost so much weight so fast.
They do not have any long term care plans. Talking about live-in help or even talk about an Assisted Living facility is out of the question. Their big worry is that they will outlive their retirement money and believe they can take care of themselves.
My husband and my worry is that we know they cannot properly take care of themselves and since my father-in-law is still driving he may have a wreck and kill someone.
Can you help us explore some options that are out there that can help relieve some of this burden? Sandy in Sugar Land, TX
Hi Sandy:
Don’t feel like you are alone because many baby-boomers are experiencing just what you are facing. Elderly parents can be quite trying because they do not want to lose their independence. It is so difficult when you know they need extra help. Many in this age bracket do not have a Long Term Care Policy and are very conservative when it comes to spending extra money.
My husband and I have experienced the problem. We talked with a home health agency who explained how his parents could maximize their Medicare dollars with home healthcare benefits. There is not a co pay or deductible for home healthcare. “Original” Medicare will pay 100% for any medical services provided by a home healthcare agency.
Those on “Original” Medicare have “Patient’s Rights” and they have the “right” to choose which home healthcare agency they want to use. Those who are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan must use network providers and may be limited to how much home healthcare one can receive. Be sure which way your husband’s parents are receiving their Medicare benefits.
To receive home health care services from Medicare:
1. There must be a medical need to receive home health services
2. The Doctor must order the home healthcare services.
3. You must need intermittent skilled nursing care, physical, speech or occupational therapy.
4. The home health agency must be certified by Medicare.
5. You must be homebound. Homebound means that leaving home takes considerable and taxing effort. One can be homebound and still go to the beauty shop or go to church.
Once these conditions are met, Original Medicare will cover the types of care listed below:
a) Skilled nursing care which can only be performed by a licensed nurse.
b) Home health aide that can assist in bathing, dressing and other personal care that must be part of the health care for the illness or injury.
c) Physical, speech or occupational therapy can be ordered.
d) Medical social worker can help with long-term planning and help find resources.
e) Certain medical supplies such as wound dressing, catheters, colostomies (but not prescriptions drug)
f) Durable medical equipment such as wheelchair, walker, crutches, hospital bed.
Consult with your loved one’s primary care or specialist, if you believe home healthcare might be right for your loved ones. Most generally, your Physician, a Social Worker, Case Manager or a hospital Discharge Planner can help arrange for Medicare-covered home healthcare.
Remember, you have “PATIENT’S RIGHTS”, and this gives you a say in which home health agency you want to use.
Toni King, author of the new Medicare Survival Guide, which is a simple guide that puts Medicare in “people” terms, is on sale at www.tonisays.com. Toni is an advocate/consultant for those “Confused about Medicare”. Email questions to toni@tonisays.com or call 832/519-TONI (8664).
