It’s easy to take our ability to perform day-to-day activities for granted, but this can change… especially as when we become old.
Fortunately, most of these changes aren’t dramatically different from one day to the next – it’s more of a gradual process. In fact, you will likely pass through 5 stages of care, to some degree, in your retirement.
When you build and review your retirement income plan, it’s important to consider your future health care needs. Long term care insurance can help you protect this plan – helping you maintain your standard of living as much as possible.
What does long-term care mean?
Long-term care services may include:
- Nursing care,
- Rehabilitation and therapy,
- Personal care (help with activities of daily living such as dressing, eating and bathing)
- Homemaking services (cleaning, laundry, preparing meals)
- Having another person there to watch over you and help you when and where you need it.
Depending on how much care you need and the choices you and your family make, this care can be received:
- in your home
- in the community (e.g., adult day centres)
- in a long-term care facility
With Long Term Care Insurance, you can claim benefits if one of the following is true:
You need continual supervision by another person for protection from threats to your physical health and safety because your mental condition has deteriorated. You always need substantial physical assistance from another person or you always need stand-by assistance from another person to help you safely and completely perform 2 or more of the 6 activities of daily living. Most insurance companies consider bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence and feeding to be activities of daily living.