06 Apr
A university professor specializing in aging recently offered insights on how to best plan for medical care and other services as people enter into retirement years. Many Texas residents in this demographic have limited financial resources, making the provision of long-term care difficult. He views long-term care as any service offered to someone who cannot provide self-care or management.
The professor acknowledges that the issues surrounding long-term care are varied based largely on age. A younger person with a disability may not require active medical care. However, a goal for someone in this scenario would be to live a mainstreamed life in society. For an older person, the needs tend to be related to medical issues.
With an aging population, care of this nature will be in demand. In the future, it will be more difficult to both provide this type of care and to provide the funding for it. The experts agree that major changes need to occur in long-term care options. One suggestion to improve the process is to identify the needs of those involved.
Some of those questioned about their needs stated they wanted to have choices in their care. They also desired to maintain some autonomy in their lives. Though competent medical and nursing care was important, it did not rank as a top concern. Rather, many wanted others to respect them, though they were not able to independently care for themselves.
Aging is part of life and eventually, most Texas residents will need some sort of long-term care plan. It is important to address these issues while still having the ability to do so. An experienced elder law attorney can help clients develop a plan to address future long-term care needs. Contacting a reputable lawyer will ensure that a family’s financial situation remains secure while protecting the dignity of loved ones.
Source: mcknights.com, “Where are we going with long-term care?“, Robert L. Kane, M.D., March 27, 2017