Homecare is Expensive! Greeting’s Hamptons Mouthpiece Readers…Most of my Sag Harbor friends know me as a photographer but my profession, I am a Registered Nurse with a background in elder care. My responsibilities include running one of the larger Medicaid Homecare service agencies in NYC. So I thought that I would talk to you about…. Estate Planning.

While I am no expert in this field, I have first hand seen the devastation that can impact families that do not plan for the inevitable health declines in our parents and significant others as aging and subsequent health issues arise. Knowing how to create a trust, which connects to having an estate plan, will not only help out those who are planning but their families too. It is an important part of life that we all have to contend with soon or later, so a support plan may be worth looking into such as where to find good home care, you may want to begin with somewhere similar to GYC Senior Care – see more at gycseniorcare.com. It is imperative that well in advance of these calamities, you seek an Elder Lawyer who can help you prepare your family’s finances to protect your wealth. There are many legal vehicles that will allow you to shelter your loved one’s assets such as Pooled Trusts, which will allow for you to provide the care and services that the sick and frail will need in their declining years while simultaneously protecting and allocating assets for this purpose.

elder2Homecare is EXPENSIVE and can quickly overtake any savings that have been accumulated. You should invest in a Long Term Health insurance policy that will provide some limited coverage for homecare if those services are required. Please conduct your due diligence in researching the insurance company that you chose to join. It is imperative that you investigate the financial health of the company you choose. The most unfortunate thing that could happen is that you contribute toan insurance company that goes belly up because THEIR financials were not in order. BEWARE!!! Carefully read your policy to understand what you are entitled to regarding homecare. Some simple math will illustrate what can happen to your finances if you will need homecare from an aide. 8 hours of service per day x 7 days weekly x 52 weeks at $15 per hour for a home health aide will cost $43,680 per year. Multiply this by 5 years and you get $218,400. What you should know is that the risk for health status to decline and the elderly needing more services than 8 hours daily…well, you get the picture. Please take my advice. Plan ahead.

Here’s to your good health!

Kurt H. Leggard, RN**Contributor

Program Director

Personal-Touch Home Health Services

Author

Healthcare consultant, strategist and futurist with a concentration in Long Term Home Health Care. With over 35 years experience as an RN, providing executive Nursing administrative decision making, direction and oversight for multiple healthcare business segments including but not limited to: Skilled Nursing Facilities, Certified Home Health Agencies, Licensed Home Care Service Agencies, Program for the All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Assisted Living Facilities, School Health, and the Office of People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) with a working knowledge of N.Y.S. Department of Health, CMS, Medicare and Medicaid regulatory requirements. Strategic decisions are based on critical scientific methodology, current political feasibility and value based purchasing criteria. In addition, Kurt Leggard is a Professional Photographer located in the Hamptons and New York City Photography By Kurt, LLC; MBE is a full service photography enterprise to cover the scale of ANY event, services also include photo restoration, product shots, real estate, portfolios, live theater, weddings and much more. Instant Photo's, Photo Montages, Documentaries, Video!

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