With more Americans living longer than ever before, it is wise to think of your future and begin planning for the long-term. Do you or your parents have a plan for long-term care? Long-term care can include making changes to your own home to make it safer, getting paid help in your home for housekeeping and transportation, or moving to a long-term care facility or community.
If you think that you might not need long-term care, statistics may prove you wrong. As may be expected, your odds of needing long-term care increase as you age. There is a 70 percent chance you will need some sort of care service if you live beyond the age of 65. Since women are more likely to outlive men and live alone later in life, there is a greater chance that a woman will need care from a paid provider or family member. About 80 percent of women over the age of 65 will need long-term care.
Your current health can also affect your chances of needing more care in the future. Diseases, accidents, and poor lifestyle choices like an unhealthy diet, addictions, or a sedentary lifestyle can lead to severe chronic conditions and may affect your ability to live an independent life in the future.
The best time to plan for long-term care is before you need it. Thinking about where you will live or how you will be taken care of is a life-changing decision that should not be left to chance or made in a time of great stress. Putting in some effort now to plan ahead for your future will bring you many benefits – such as relieving your children or family from making the decisions, protecting your retirement assets, and ensuring that this important decision remains yours to make. You are guaranteed more power over this significant decision if you make it early rather than waiting until it is forced in a moment of crisis or desperation.
There are several options to look at for long-term care. If you desire to stay in your own home, there are many service providers that will help you do just that. Today it is easy to find services to get groceries or meals delivered, provide transportation to appointments, or get help with personal care. Home Care providers, like Snyder Village Home Care, make it possible to stay in your own home longer as they help with meal preparation, housekeeping, medication reminders, transportation, and more.
Another option for long-term care is a retirement community, which offers independent living options while removing the worries of home maintenance. They provide an instant community of neighbors with fun activities and social opportunities and also bring peace of mind by having help nearby if it is needed. Assisted living communities are a great option if you need a little more help with personal care, like bathing or dressing. Skilled nursing facilities are yet another option. These facilities provide a 24-hour, high level of care for individuals with greater health needs.
A Life Plan Community is an excellent option for long-term care, as it provides several levels of care all on one campus. Snyder Village, a Life Plan Community in Metamora, IL, offers independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing care, memory care, therapy, and home care. Residents often move first to the retirement community to enjoy independent living in an apartment or cottage. There is peace of mind knowing that higher levels of care – such as assisted living and skilled nursing – are available right on campus if or when they are needed. Planning for long-term care becomes less complicated in a Life Plan Community, when all the care options are available and provided for you.
Whether you eventually need long-term care for several months or for several years, it is helpful to consider your options and begin planning your long-term care now. Your future and peace of mind depend on it!
Snyder Village in Metamora is a Life Plan Community that offers independent living in its retirement cottages and apartments. Beautiful assisted living accommodations, memory care programs, skilled nursing care, and physical therapy are also available on campus. Its home care services support individuals in Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, and Marshall Counties. For more information, call (309) 367-4300 or visit www.snydervillage.com.
