Are you or anyone you know caring for an aged, ill, or disabled family member? If so, you’re one of about 43.5 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness, disability, or frailty. Family caregivers provide an average of 24 hours of care per week. When you’re the caregiver, that can make it hard to care for yourself.
If you’re a caregiver for someone with Medicare, here are 3 things you can do to help you help your loved one:
1. Visit the Administration for Community Living site to find programs and resources that can help support you.
Here are a few of the programs and resources offered through the Administration for Community Living
- Support to Caregivers – Programs like the National Family Caregiver Support Program and Lifespan Respite Care Program help with supporting family members who provide assistance or support to older adults and people with disabilities.
- Aging and Disability Networks – The aging and disability networks include national, state, and local organizations that support community living options for older adults and people with disabilities. In some cases, ACL grants fund specific programs or initiatives operated by independent organizations. In others, like those found in this section, ACL funds organizations, or networks of organizations, to provide a range of programs to meet the specific needs in their local communities.
- Health, Wellness, and Nutrition – ACL’s health and wellness programs address behavioral health, prevention of injuries and illness, chronic disease self-management, and more. Our largest wellness program is our nutrition programs, which provide home-delivered meals and meals in congregate settings for older adults.
- Connecting People to Services – Several programs help older adults and people with disabilities find supports and services to help them with community living and integration.
2. Make sure your loved one’s Medicare coverage still meets their needs.
Review their medicare coverage and pick a plan that works for your loved one.
Consider the following when evaluating their choices:
- Does the plan cover the services they need? Think about what services and benefits they’re likely to use in the coming year and find coverage that meets their needs. If they have other types of health or prescription drug coverage, make sure you understand how that coverage works with Medicare.
- What does the plan cost?The lowest-cost health plan option might not be the best choice for them—consider things like the cost of premiums and deductibles, how much they pay for hospital stays and doctor visits, and whether it’s important for them to have expenses balanced throughout the year.
- Are the plan’s providers and rules convenient? Your time is valuable. Where are the doctors’ offices? What are their hours? Which pharmacies can you use? Can you get prescriptions by mail? Do the doctors use electronic health records or prescribe electronically?
- What plans perform the best? Not all health care is created equal, and the doctors, hospitals and facilities they choose can affect their health. Look for plans with a 5‑star performance rating—the right expertise and care can make a difference.
Speaking with a licensed agent is a great way to compare additional medicare supplement options. You can reach an agent HERE.
3. Find resources near you by visiting the Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator.
The Eldercare Locator is a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources.
We are here to help you with your Medicare needs! Contact us and speak with our friendly agents.
