Consumers Choice Report

Posts Tagged ‘Medicare’

If you have reached retirement age, or if you are in need of stable health care coverage, chances are you have considered signing up for Medicare. The federal government backs the Medicare plan, and it is attainable to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are 65 and older and who have worked for at least a decade through a Medicare-covered employer. Those who are handicapped or who are in end-stage renal failure might also be eligible for Medicare. A pair of plans are obtainable through Medicare; Plan A and Plan B. Medicare Part A insures hospital stays, but Medicare Part B covers medical expenditures. Once you are in tune to the steps, enrolling in Medicare is a simple process.

Assisted living is for adults who need help with everyday tasks. It is not an alternative to a nursing home, but an intermediate level of long-term care appropriate for many seniors. Assisted living exists to bridge the gap between independent living and nursing homes.

How do you know if your loved one needs an assisted living facility (ALF)? ALFs are for people needing assistance with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) but wishing to live as independently as possible for as long as possible. ALFs offer help with ADLs such as eating, bathing, dressing, laundry, housekeeping, and assistance with medications. Statistically, an assisted living resident needs assistance with an average of three ADLs. ALFs are popular because they are less restrictive and less expensive than a nursing home, which is the last place many older adults want to go. They provide the residents with more freedom.