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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Alzheimer's / February 2004Cost of Alzheimer's Unit
This is my first post, but probably not my last: Is there anyone here who has a family member in an Alzheimer's Unit and wouldn't mind sharing the ballpark monthly cost? I care for my father full-time in my own home. I KNOW that being with me and my family is a positive for Dad. He is happy and otherwise healthy except for well-controlled COPD & HBP. He loves attending my church and really enjoys running errands with me. My twin boys miss him when he isn't here (he visits a couple of the siblings once a month). Sibs are trying to determine a fair "wage" to pay. I was thinking 1/2 of the normal dementia nursing unit's cost. That would compensate my immediate family somewhat for the added stress and would still be a financial benefit to the sibs. What do you think? Kim Kim, Personally, I think you deserve what an AD place would cost; but realistically that's probably not going to happen. Since it's variable depending on the level of service, setting, and his needs as well as geographic area, I would suggest you call around your area and get rates. Be sure and check with home care agencies as well. I'm pretty sure you will be shocked. Beth When I was checking the cost of nursing homes about three years ago the fee was $350.00 per day. That was for a 'good' home however, nothing real fancy. We were able to keep my mother at home with live in care for $500. per week. The Cranky Genee >This is my first post, but probably not my last: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >Kim > This is my first post, but probably not my last: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Kim Kim, Pay rates vary around the country dependent on many factors. I would call around to private home care companies in your area as well as live-in facilities to get their prices. You could figure out a fair charge that way. If you go the hourly route, don't forget to charge for room and board too. Leave yourself alternatives in case things get rough. Early on we set up a fair pay schedule and a contract with an elder law attorney. Doing things legally may cost a bit but then there are no surprises. As my mother in law's illness has advanced it has been a good thing for her and for us, but there came a point where she has become almost too much to handle. Incontinence issues strain the best of intentions and good will and we are researching nursing homes at this point. I don't know how we are going to do it, but we have to at this stage of the game.  SignatureEvelyn (To reply to me personally, remove sox) [...] >Is there anyone here who has a family member in an Alzheimer's Unit and >wouldn't mind sharing the ballpark monthly cost? Hi, Kim. Here, in central California, costs are at least $4500.00 per month for a skilled nursing facility. That doesn't include the cost of diapers, laundry, personal services like hair cuts, etc. etc. I noticed that the nicer assisted living facilities charge a base amount for rent (anywhere from $1000 and up) and then add on costs based on the level of care the person will need; things like assistance dressing, showering, escorting to meals and so on. The cost of hiring a 24 hour live-in personal assistant from an agency is around $7000.00 per month. I'm sure it's less expensive in other parts of the country, but whatever you agree on, it sounds like your plan is fair and beneficial to all of you. ~Des I'm jealous! Very very jealous > This is my first post, but probably not my last: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Kim > Is there anyone here who has a family member in an Alzheimer's Unit and > wouldn't mind sharing the ballpark monthly cost? it won't help much, because costs and quality of care vary so wildly around the country. you'll get a far more valid answer by phoning up the facilities in your area and asking. who's gong to pay? if your father is eligible for medicaid, *some* states have waiver or other programs that allow relatives to be paid by medicaid to provide home health care. Dennis, Do you know if such a waiver exists in Florida? I need all the financial help I can get as mom's savings are just about gone. TIE45 > Do you know if such a waiver exists in Florida? I need all the > financial help I can get as mom's savings are just about gone. your best bet is to look at the state's web page and then contact the appropriate office: http://elderaffairs.state.fl.us/ i'm in alaska, and have absolutely no experience with what's available in florida. TIE45, I didn't get a message about a waiver so don't know what that was about, but when we lived in Lake County in Florida, my dad was in a nursing home on Medicaid. There was a lot of paperwork, but no problems getting him on it. Gwen -- ===================== If there is no wind........row. ===================== | | Dennis, | | Do you know if such a waiver exists in Florida? I need all the | financial help I can get as mom's savings are just about gone. | | TIE45 | Let's make it political now! The government needs to get really involved now!! This is a good time to start making this a political issue. We need the government involved in Alzheimer's now. No one wants to discuss this issue. Any illness involving the brain is always ignored. Look at how the insurance companies write mental illness out of all policies. It is too expensive and there isn't a quick treatment for the problem. Let's start today. Write you senators asking what they are going to do for Alzheimer's families and the patients now. Not five years, but now. Look at what is political this year. Gay marriage. Who cares? It doesn't cost anything though. Just remember. This is a great year to make this a political problem for the parties. Booth the Democrats and Republicans have been allowed to ignore this problem too long. I also notice that the AARP never talks about what is need for Alz. patients. Of course they have become an insurance company, not an advocate for the elderly like they try to picture. > Dennis, > > Do you know if such a waiver exists in Florida? I need all the > financial help I can get as mom's savings are just about gone. > > TIE45 5000.00 a month for Heartland AD facility (HCR Manorcare is the parent company) here in South Florida. Nice place trained in AD but no skilled nursing. Ken > This is my first post, but probably not my last: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Kim I work in a Long Term Care Fcility in Ontario. The rates for our rooms are posted on the bulletin board for all to see. They are $1865.00 per month for private room and around 1600 for semi private. This includes a comfort allowance of $125.00 per month for the resident to spend on treats and clothes. All items for personal care such as incontinence supplies and soap shampoo and laundry is included in that price. Donna > 5000.00 a month for Heartland AD facility (HCR Manorcare is the parent > company) here in South Florida. [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >> >>Kim To clarify the Ontario rates: There are three types of accommodation in Long-term care facilities in Ontario: Basic, Semi-Private and Private. Residents pay for accommodation only, and rates are standardized across the province. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care covers nursing, personal care, programming and food costs. Applicants who do not have sufficient income to pay the subsidized rate can obtain information about applying for supplements. As of July 1, 2003, basic was $1480.99/month, semi-private $1724.32, and private $2028.49. The government portion is currently, I think, between $1500 and $1700.00/month. To go on a waiting list (and you can only put your name on three institutions), you must be screened by a local Commmunity Care Acceess Centre (government funded). Grace Jewell just outside of Toronto Ontario > I work in a Long Term Care Fcility in Ontario. The rates for our rooms > are posted on the bulletin board for all to see. They are $1865.00 per [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > supplies and soap shampoo and laundry is included in that price. > Donna > I work in a Long Term Care Fcility in Ontario. The rates for our rooms > are posted on the bulletin board for all to see. They are $1865.00 per > month for private room and around 1600 for semi private. This includes a > comfort allowance of $125.00 per month for the resident to spend on > treats and clothes. All items for personal care such as incontinence > supplies and soap shampoo and laundry is included in that price. i get so tired of right wingnuts raving about how canada is "socialist" or has "socialized medicine" when it's obvious their health care system is not only just as good or better, but far cheaper to boot! you folks are so lucky have *reasonable* regulation, reasonable drug prices, reasonably priced and universally available health care, and reasonably priced long term care. our corrupt congress and the evildoers running the corporations that own the congress have given us unconscionably high drug prices, decent health care for fewer and fewer, and force families to impoverish themselves in order to afford long term care. It can be 3000- 4500 a month depending on the level of care. > This is my first post, but probably not my last: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Kim We're paying $5270/month for my mom, in IL. This includes meals/snacks, personal assistance bathing/grooming/dressing/eating/whatever. Laundry service is an additional weekly fee, as are haircuts, and personal supplies (toothpaste, shampoo, diapers, kleenex, etc.). All I can say is it IS danged expensive, but worth every penny to know that she is safe, loved by the staff and very well cared for. We did get extremely lucky though. I thought my sil was being silly many, many years ago when she insisted to my brother about taking out long term health care policy for my mom. Little did I know then what a wonderful thing this is. I am currently looking into the same for hub and I, as I don't ever want to put my children in the position of wondering what to do and/or how to afford it. Joyce >This is my first post, but probably not my last: > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >Kim Joyce, good luck to you in getting long term care insurance. I have been turned down by three companies, so I just try not to worry about the future and my kids. They know I have tried. Gwen -- =========================================== When I release the guilt of the past and the worries of the future, I am joyful in the present. =========================================== | We're paying $5270/month for my mom, in IL. This includes meals/snacks, personal | assistance bathing/grooming/dressing/eating/whatever. Laundry service is an | additional weekly fee, as are haircuts, and personal supplies (toothpaste, | shampoo, diapers, kleenex, etc.). All I can say is it IS danged expensive, but | worth every penny to know that she is safe, loved by the staff and very well cared | for. We did get extremely lucky though. I thought my sil was being silly many, | many years ago when she insisted to my brother about taking out long term health | care policy for my mom. Little did I know then what a wonderful thing this is. I | am currently looking into the same for hub and I, as I don't ever want to put my | children in the position of wondering what to do and/or how to afford it. | | Joyce | | | | On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 23:07:29 GMT, "Kimberly Beaver" | <kimberly.beaver@worldnet.att.net> wrote: | | >This is my first post, but probably not my last: | > | >Is there anyone here who has a family member in an Alzheimer's Unit and | >wouldn't mind sharing the ballpark monthly cost? | > | >I care for my father full-time in my own home. I KNOW that being with me and | >my family is a positive for Dad. He is happy and otherwise healthy except | >for well-controlled COPD & HBP. He loves attending my church and really | >enjoys running errands with me. My twin boys miss him when he isn't here | >(he visits a couple of the siblings once a month). | > | >Sibs are trying to determine a fair "wage" to pay. I was thinking 1/2 of | >the normal dementia nursing unit's cost. That would compensate my immediate | >family somewhat for the added stress and would still be a financial benefit | >to the sibs. | > | >What do you think? | > | >Kim | > | Shows what I know, I didn't know there was such a thing as insurance that covered long term care (I guess my head has been in the sand). My dad has looked into care in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and it runs $4,500 a month for a semi-private room. I think they're okay financially, but isn't it sad to use every penny to cover Mom's care. Dad is still in fairly good health (with a sharp mind) at 81 and he would have no money to do a few things (like travel) that he deserves to do with his final years. > Joyce, good luck to you in getting long term care insurance. I have been > turned down by three companies, so I just try not to worry about the future [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > | > > | > My dad has looked into care in the Dallas/Ft Worth area and it runs > $4,500 a month for a semi-private room. I think they're okay > financially, but isn't it sad to use every penny to cover Mom's care. > Dad is still in fairly good health (with a sharp mind) at 81 and he > would have no money to do a few things (like travel) that he deserves > to do with his final years. I believe that Texas has some homestead protection which would protect his house and perhaps some other holdings. The laws differ in every state, but he should talk to an attorney well versed in elder care law in Texas to assist him in attempting to preserve as much for his continued retirement as possible. Well, it isn't perfect by any means - but it is helping to prolong depleting her money. Her policy pays $120/day - the nursing home costs roughly $175/day. It has a maximum lifetime limit of $210,000 ... which we figure will be spent in a bit over 3 years. The policy had a 90 day waiting period before it kicked in ... medicare would allow for a maximum of 90 day coverage IF she was showing signs of needing medical aid for each of those days. I think medicare refused payments after about 70 days - due to her meds being stabalized and her not needing therapy, etc. Unfortunately, medicare does NOT consider AZ alone as medical assistance. The policy also has criteria stated that must be met in order for it to take effect ... the same guidelines I have seen listed elsewhere, such as not being able to feed self, bath self, toilet, in and out of bed unassisted, dressing, etc. It was a *close* call in my judgement, but the nursing home staff told me there was much I was not aware of (which I do honestly believe). Once the policy finally kicked in, it's been wonderful ... not perfect, but still wonderful. IL also has what is called a circuit breaker program - not sure if there are similar programs in other states. It is based on income alone (social security, pension, interest, etc.). If you fall below their stated income level (believe it was $28200 this year - for a single person) you are eligible for a small rebate on rent or nursing home payments you have made. You can also qualify for medication benefits, which has helped my mothers situation immensely. Many (not all) of her medications now cost only $3 per Rx - alzheimers meds are included in the list of qualified meds. Every little bit helps. The digging to find these programs was very time consuming - but well worth the effort. So for now, we have 3 years to get things in order - what little is left of her own money can be used for HER, instead of turning it over to the government. Eventually she will move on to medicaid status, but instead of looking at that happening in a few months, we are looking at a few years. Joyce >Shows what I know, I didn't know there was such a thing as insurance >that covered long term care (I guess my head has been in the sand). [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] >> | > >> | Thanks Gwen. We've been *told* that there will be no problem in our qualifying for a policy ... but of course, that could be a standard sales pitch just to get in the door. One thing going in our favor is that we are still relatively young (in the grand scheme of things) and healthy. I have no idea what part a family history may play into this now. Like I said, in my mom's case she does have a policy but it will only buy her a very few short years ... if that. And my brothers and I all agreed that it doesn't much matter when the government kicks in, today or tomorrow, it's going to happen eventually. So like you said, why spend time worrying about it. Joyce > Joyce, good luck to you in getting long term care insurance. I have been >turned down by three companies, so I just try not to worry about the future [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > | > > | |
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