Private home health care (or “private duty care”) is widely used by seniors and their families to maintain safety and well-being at home. When families first seek help, one of the most common questions is what Medicare covers for senior care. Medicare’s services, community programs, support systems, and private home health care together can provide an elder the necessary supports to remain at home, even during periods of illness and recovery.
As stated on Medicare’s website, Medicare “generally doesn’t pay for long-term care” or “support services such as activities of daily living” or “custodial care”. However, this is the type of care that is often most vital to older adults, especially those with chronic health conditions or disabilities. You can read more on Medicare’s overview regarding long-term care as well as EasyLiving’s Overview of Senior Care Terminology and Paying for Care Tips.
Private home health care refers to this “custodial care” that Medicare does not generally cover, which is most often “private pay”, i.e. covered by clients and families on a fee-for-service basis. Long-term care insurance and some other benefit programs are also used to pay for private home health care.
To get all the facts: grab your copy of our white paper on the Limitations of Medicare Coverage, explaining in easy-to-understand, yet comprehensive, terms what senior care Medicare reimburses and its limitations.
Elder care is most commonly, and most successfully, accomplished with a variety of resources. For example, you may assist your aging Dad with all of his doctors’ appointments and prepare his meals for him for the week. He may be signed up for a local transportation service that helps him get to certain appointments. His Veteran’s benefits may assist in picking up the costs of his medications, as well as provide a pension which assists him to pay for the private home care services that help him each morning.
For help with eldercare resources, benefits programs and all of your questions, call us at 727-448-0900 or click below to:
