Long-term care services are typically needed when a person cannot perform certain Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs, or becomes cognitively impaired due to Alzheimer’s or dementia. The most common ADLs that qualify a person for long-term care are:

  • Self-Feeding
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Toileting
  • Transferring (getting from bed to a chair)
  • Continence
  • Need for supervision due to confusion, disorientation or lack of balance

Just because a person loses the ability to perform one or a couple of the ADLs does not mean that they are necessarily ready for a nursing home. So what options of home-based care does long-term care insurance cover?

Skilled Nursing Care- Skilled nursing care includes a wide variety of in-home medical care that requires a licensed nurse. Examples include dispensing medication, providing IV fluids, wound care, etc.

Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy- Short-term and long-term physical therapy and occupational therapy might be needed after a fall or injury that happens because of the long-term illness or disease.

Home Health Aid- Most home health aids are non-nurse health aids that provide assistance with ADLs.

Homemaker or Companion- Companion aids typically provide assistance with preparing meals, shopping, and housekeeping duties.

Alternate Care- Some policies now cover alternate care, which is often described as non-conventional care and services developed by a licensed health care practitioner that serves as an alternate to more costly nursing home care. Often medically necessary improvements to the home can be covered under alternate care benefits, such as wheel chair ramps or modifications to bathrooms.

It’s important to remember that most in home care and alternate care costs are drawn against the lifetime maximum on the insurance policy, meaning using funds for these services can impact the total amount of nursing home care available under the insurance policy down the road. See your Cleveland elder law attorney for advice before cashing in on the long-term care insurance for in-home care costs.