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Long term care insurance is a great benefit.  It can go a long way towards reducing the cost of your loved one’s long term care.  But if your loved one has long term care insurance do they need to protect their money from the cost of their long term care?  The answer is usually yes.  You want to be proactive and protect their money from the cost of long term care.  And, believe it or not, their long term care insurance is a great tool for helping you do that. Listen to this episode to learn how long term care insurance can help in this situation. Thanks so much and I will talk to you soon. Casey The post 171 – If Your Loved One Has Long Term Care Insurance Do They Still Need to Protect Money from the Cost of Their Long Term Care? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Protecting money from the cost of long term care costs is definitely doable.  There are a lot of strategies available to help you achieve that goal.  However, there are also a lot of traps and pitfalls that can result in difficult financial situations. A big trap for many people is thinking that money in a joint account is protected from the cost of their loved one’s long term care.  This strategy works sometimes.  But not as much as you might think.  Listen to this episode to learn more about this issue so you can work to avoid really big potential problems. I hope this information is helpful and points you in the right direction. Talk to you soon. Casey The post 170 – Is Money in a Joint Bank Account Protected From the Cost of Long Term Care? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Medicaid rules are different in every state.  This is a trap that snags a lot of people.  Medicaid is a federal program that administered by the individual states.  That means each state can create the rules as long as they follow the framework established by the federal government.  That means what might work in one state might not work in another.  Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about this important issue and how you can work around it. I hope this helps – Medicaid is too important not to know this. Thanks and all the best. Casey The post 169 – Medicaid Rules Are Different in Every State appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

A lot of people have asked if I could share a little about myself.  So, I’ve dedicated this episode to explaining who I am, what I do, why this podcast is important to me and how I can help you when you’re caring for an aging parent, spouse or elderly loved one.  I hope you enjoy this and invite everyone to email me with any questions you might have about me or any topics you would like to hear discussed in a future podcast episode. Thanks so much for listening today. Talk to you soon. Casey The post 168 – Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself – Who is Casey Price? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Your loved one needs an advocate if they are receiving long term care.  But, advocating can be hard.  You want to push their care providers to give them the best possible care but, at the same time, you don’t want to upset them and risk how they will treat your loved one. This episode discusses the fear of pushing too hard when you’re advocating for your loved one.  I share what I’ve learned about this over the past twenty years.  I hope it will empower you to be the best possible advocate for your loved one. Thanks for listening and good luck! Casey The post 167 – Don’t Be Intimidated Advocating for Your Elderly Loved One – The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Grease appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

How do you know when your loved one needs help?  What signs can you look for?  How do you know what care they need?  Assessing their activities of daily living – both basic and instrumental – provides a lot of helpful information. Listen to this episode of the podcast to learn what activities of daily living are and how they can help you plan care for your aging parent, spouse or elderly loved one. Thanks very much and I will talk to you soon. Casey The post 166 – What are Activities of Daily Living? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

People want to make sure their loved one is getting the best possible care around the clock.  One way to check on this is to visit them often.  It’s easy during normal visiting hours.  It’s more difficult after hours – when the doors are locked and there’s no one there to greet you. In this episode I discuss this issue and touch on some alternatives to stopping by in the middle of the night.  I hope it helps. Thanks so much for listening! Casey The post 165 – Can I Visit My Elderly Loved One Any Time Day or Night in the Long Term Care Community? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Contracts are scary.  If your loved one ever moves into an assisted living community they will have to sign an agreement.  The community might want you to sign too.  This is where you have to be really careful.  Depending on what you sign it’s very possible to obligate yourself and your money to pay for your loved one’s care. Today I’m going to discuss representative payees in the assisted living context.  What is it and why you probably want to avoid ever becoming one. I hope this helps to protect your money. Thanks! Casey The post 164 – What is a Representative Payee in an Assisted Living or Nursing Home Admission Agreement? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Choosing a sub-acute rehab facility is difficult.  Everyone wants the best for their loved one.  So how do you select the best possible sub-acute rehab facility for your loved one? It’s not as hard as you think.  Listen to today’s episode to hear my answer. I hope this episode helps you deal with a difficult situation. Thanks so much for listening. Casey The post 163 – How to Pick the Best Sub-Acute Rehab Facility for Your Elderly Loved One appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Children are often the primary caregivers for their elderly parents.  Many children take time off from work and cost themselves money to provide the care their parent needs.  This leads to a common question – can an elderly parent pay their caregiver child?  While it is possible and, in some places, common, it can potentially lead to problems with Medicaid. In this episode I discuss this issue and things you need to be aware of if your elderly loved one is going to pay you for the care you’re providing. I hope this helps. Casey The post 162 – Can a Someone Get Paid to Provide Care to Their Aging Parent or Elderly Loved One? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Privacy is important to everyone.  Our loved one’s financial status is no one’s business but theirs. A lot of people are concerned that their loved one’s financial information will become public if they ever need long term care Medicaid.  Today on the podcast I discuss who actually knows when someone goes on Medicaid.  I hope this answers your questions and relieves any fears you might have about this issue. Thanks so much and I will talk to you soon. Casey The post 161 – Does Everyone in the Assisted Living Community or Nursing Home Know That My Loved One’s on Medicaid? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

I take the position that there’s no difference in the care provided to someone in an assisted living community or nursing home on Medicaid versus someone paying for care privately.  But, it’s still possible to improve your loved one’s care.  You can take some affirmative steps to help them get the best possible care. Today on the podcast I discuss my number one strategy aimed at helping someone get the best possible care in this situation.  This could be very helpful to everyone with a loved one on Medicaid.  I sincerely hope it helps you. Let me know if you have any questions – you can email me at casey@thestressedoutcaregiver.com. Thanks for listening and I’ll talk to you soon. Casey The post 160 – How to Get the Best Care Possible for a Loved One on Medicaid in an Assisted Living Community or Nursing Home appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

There’s a common misconception that when someone needs Medicaid.  People think there are horrible Medicaid only alternatives.  These are supposedly the worst facilities in the area and only take those people who are out of money and on Medicaid. Fortunately, this is not what really happens.  People on Medicaid receive great care – just like those paying privately.  Listen to this episode to learn more about Medicaid benefits in a long term care community. Thanks for listening and I will talk to you soon. Casey The post 159 – Is There Such a Thing as a Medicaid Nursing Home or Medicaid Assisted Living Community? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Elder care is complicated.  It can feel like you’re stuck in a whirlwind.  But it can be made easier.  If you have a system or a process to deal with the overall situation it can be manageable.  You can bring order to the chaos. In this podcast episode I discuss the three building blocks of elder care.  This approach has helped me and many others get a good handle on the situation when it comes to caring for an elderly loved one. I think it can help you too. Thanks so much for listening and all the best. Casey The post 158 – The Three Building Blocks of Elder Care appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

When someone has Alzheimer’s disease or some other type of dementia their brains are damaged.  As the disease progresses the damage in their brains gets worse.  The person looks mostly the same on the outside but there are significant changes on the inside. We often assume our loved ones dealing with cognitive impairment are the same person they always were.  They don’t look any different – there’s no noticeable change – so it’s hard to comprehend how much they’re changing.  We expect them to act like they person they always were – like the person who raised us or the person we always knew.  But we can’t do that because they’ve changed. In this episode we discuss how we need to change our expectations.  Their reality has changed and so has ours.  We can’t make them better but we can make them more comfortable wherever they are. I hope this helps episode helps you enjoy your time with your loved one a little more than you did before. Thanks so much for listening! Casey The post 157 – Realistic Expectations for Our Loved Ones with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Types of Dementia appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

There are a lot of hoops you have to jump through when someone needs long term care Medicaid benefits. One trap in many states is a monthly income cap.  If your loved one has income in excess of the state’s income cap they could be financially ineligible for Medicaid benefits.  Fortunately, however, many states have adopted Qualified Income Trusts, otherwise known as a QIT or a Miller Trust.  Using a qualified income trust can help your loved one get Medicaid benefits even if their income exceeds the state’s monthly income cap. Listen to this episode of the podcast to learn how a qualified income trust can help your loved one achieve Medicaid eligibility. Thanks so much and all the best! Casey P.S. Remember that nothing in this podcast episode is legal advice.  This episode is information to help you identify issues as you help your elderly loved one.  Thanks again! The post 156 – What is a Qualified Income Trust? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

When most people hear the word therapy they automatically think of physical therapy.   But there are other types of therapy besides physical therapy.  Two other types of therapy are occupational therapy and speech therapy. Today we are going to look into the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy.  These are two very important types of therapy that will help your loved one to regain and maintain independence and the highest possible quality of life. I hope this answers some of you questions. Thanks for listening! Casey The post 155 – What is the Difference Between Physical and Occupational Therapy? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

Sub-acute rehab is one of the most important benefits available to our elderly loved ones.  It provides physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy services after a hospital stay.  This benefit can be the difference between maintaining independence and losing it. Learn more about this benefit including how to qualify for it and who will pay for it in this episode. Thanks so much and all the best. Casey The post 154 – What is Sub-Acute Rehab? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

How can your elderly loved one’s money from the cost of their long term care?  The answer is to spend their money to provide them with long term care! This doesn’t make any sense though, does it?  Let me explain… Giving them the care they need when they need it greatly reduces the probability they will need higher level care – costing significantly more dollars  – sooner than absolutely necessary.  Listen to the podcast.  I’ll explain this issue in much more detail. This one could save you a lot of money – I hope it helps. Thanks! Casey The post 153 – Spend Money to Save Money When Caring for Your Elderly Loved One appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.

How much does it cost to move into a long term care community?  The answer depends on the community.  Some have up front costs and others don’t.  In today’s show  I examine some of the up front costs at long term care communities including the concept of a “Buy In.” I hope this makes things easier for you. Thanks! Casey The post 152 – What Is a “Buy In” at a Long Term Care Community? appeared first on The Stressed Out Caregiver.