How to Be Carefree About Future Caregiving Needs This Summer
There’s nothing quite like the carefree nature of the summer months- beach trips, BBQs, baseball games- all of the warm weather pleasures we look forward to the rest of the year. However, it can be hard to be fully present and enjoy these summer pastimes when we don’t feel our financial and insurance needs are in order. It can feel like this task is taking up room in our heads and weighing down our shoulders a bit. Often this is because it can feel vastly overwhelming. Well, as they say, one step at a time!
We’re sure you’ve heard some of the drastic US caregiving statistics. For example in 2020, “41.8 million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult over the age of 50. ” Or that, “23.7 hours per week is the average amount of time caregivers spend providing unpaid care for loved ones they don’t live with; those who live with their care recipient spend 37.4 hours a week.” That’s the equivalent of almost taking on another part-time or full-time job! Or maybe you’ve seen that, “Caregivers provide an estimated $470 billion in free labor each year.” Whichever caregiving statistics you’ve seen in the news or heard from friends, you know the situation can be dire when adults who are required to be unpaid caregivers are often sandwiched between still caring for children, working full time jobs, and then also caring for loved ones. The best thing to do? Give yourself (and therefore those you love) the freedom of choice.
Afterall, there are no two identical caregiving plans. Some people would prefer to stay in their homes through end of life care, some prefer to be part of continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), etc. Planning out your financial and insurance coverage now, before there is a need, allows you that freedom of choice for the caregiving situation that is right for you. One of the great ways to do this is by protecting yourself with long term care insurance. According to MorningStar the cost of care is, “more than $100,000 a year, on average, for care in a skilled nursing facility”. Furthermore, they report that $321,780 is the, “estimated lifetime cost of care for someone with dementia living in the community (that is, receiving home-based care),” meanwhile $195,176 is the, “estimated lifetime cost of care for someone with dementia living in a nursing home.” With these staggering costs, together with the impact on unpaid caregivers listed above, insurance that helps with long term care needs such as dressing, bathing, feeding yourself, etc. cannot be undervalued. Long term care insurance can help protect your assets, provide peace of mind, and take the caregiving burden off of those you love. They also provide a choice of what your caregiving looks like, and who is providing it for you. And the earlier you sign up, and the healthier you are, the lower the monthly cost. A call today to see about your long term care insurance options is all it takes to get the ball rolling.
We can’t change the future (Oh how we’d all love a crystal ball sometimes!), but we can plan for it. Take the time as the unofficial start to summer kicks off to plan for you and your loved ones’ future caregiving needs so you can have peace of mind as you enjoy all of the wonders that summertime has to offer. At Baygroup Insurance, we're here to answer any questions you may have about this. Feel free to contact us at http://www.baygroupinsurance.com/forms/contact-us or call us at 410-557-7907 for more guidance and education at absolutely no obligation.
Sources
“Caregiving Statistics: A Data Portrait of Family Caregiving.” A Place for Mom. 2 Dec 2022. <https://www.aplaceformom.com/caregiver-resources/articles/caregiver-statistics#>.
Benz, Christine. "100 Must-Know Statistics About Long-Term Care: 2023 Edition." MorningStar.com. 29 Mar 2023.
