If you are lucky to live long enough, you will need long-term care, but since no one knows how long they will live, everyone needs long-term care planning. About 66% of us, including those in New York, New York, will need it, which includes bathing, dressing, walking and toileting assistance.
This means planning for a nursing home, right?
Not necessarily. While a lot of long-term care does occur in nursing homes and memory care facilities, most long-term care occurs at the recipient’s home. This is why many state and federal programs and services are designed to provide such services at your home, like the Older Americans Act.
The Older Americans Act
The OAA is one such home-based (and community-based) program. It provides services through state-, tribal- and local-level agencies in every state in the United States. Services and support are provided to those 60 years old and over, in addition to their family caregivers. Specifically, OAA services can include personal care, nutritional assistance, transportation, adult day care, etc.
Other long-term care resources
In addition to the OAA, there are other national resources. These include LongTermCare.gov, the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health and the VA, among many others.
Making decisions now
Of course, your New York City metro area estate planning attorney can incorporate the OAA into your long-term care plans, in addition to Medicare. In addition, you will need to make several other decisions. These include deciding on your care decisions and documenting those decisions.
These decisions include what tests, procedures and medicines you do and do not want. In addition, how far do you want life-sustaining treatment and measures to go, and how long do you want to be kept on life support. And, who do you want to make your health care and end-of-life decisions for you, should you be unable to make your own decisions.