JOAN’S BLOG – WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2013 – JOAN, THE REPORTER, AND THE COST OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Due to the magic of Google, reporters are always finding me. Usually they want my input on an article about marriage and Alzheimer’s Disease, which makes sense, considering my website is devoted to the subject. Recently, however, a free lance Washington DC reporter contacted me for an article she is writing regarding the prohibitive financial costs of Alzheimer’s Disease on the caregiving family.

We discussed six issues – the cost of caring for a family member with Alzheimer’s Disease, given that the life span of an Alzheimer patient is an unknown factor, and could be as long as 20 years; families with multi millions of dollars; families with life savings of close to or at a million dollars; families with long term care insurance; families who legitimately need Medicaid because they have no savings and minimum income; and solutions to the problem.

My eyes glaze over, and boredom is immediate if I am presented with reading material filled with statistics, so I will spare you the pain. I will simply state that the cost of the lost wages of caregiver and patient, Day Care, in home health aides, durable medical equipment ( wheelchairs, walkers, shower seats, etc.), consumable medical supplies ( adult diapers, latex gloves, personal wipes, etc.), prescription and non prescription drugs, and Long Term Care Facilities can amount to $500,000 - $1,000,000 over the course of ten years.

We acknowledged that there are many families fortunate enough to have a multi-million dollar portfolio. These families, such as the Shrivers and the Reagans, could not be spared the emotional pain of Alzheimer’s Disease, but they did not suffer the stress of figuring out how to pay for care.   

There are families who had the foresight to buy long term care insurance, which can be a valuable asset in assisting with paying for care, but BUYER BEWARE. There seem to be as many types of long term care policies as there are stars in the sky, so it is absolutely necessary to have all of the fine print explained to you in detail before you buy. Some policies have a cap on amount of money dispensed, regardless of the length of time it is needed. Some policies have a cap on the length of time itself. Most are very complicated. If you are considering buying such a policy, it will be to your benefit to buy from someone you trust.

There are families who have saved up to $1,000,000 for their retirement, and may be ready to enjoy activities and travel when Alzheimer’s Disease strikes. If the disease lasts the average of ten years, their savings could be wiped out, leaving them the poverty stricken casualty of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Then there are the families who are legitimately living in poverty, and have no assets with which to pay for any type of care. From stress laden experience, I can tell you that dealing with Medicaid is not an easy process. They will provide some ( one hour a few days a week of an aide for personal care) services inside of the home and in the community ( Day Care), but one must fight for everything that is needed. Be prepared to appeal denial after denial. One Medicaid myth is that it will pay for Assisted Living. This is NOT the case. It will pay for “level of care” in an Assisted Living Facility. That is the amount charged depending upon how much “assistance” the resident requires, from help in transferring from chair to wheelchair to amount of medications dispensed, to amount of assistance needed in bathing. It ranges from $250 - $1200 a month. Medicaid does NOT pay for room and board. That amount varies from $2000 - $6000 a month, depending upon the facility, and it is YOUR responsibility. Medicaid does pay a portion of Nursing Home care, but it takes the patient’s Social Security to aid in the payment. Most States have a “spousal diversion” program, which allows the spouse to keep enough of the patient’s Social Security to pay for basic shelter, such as the mortgage on your home.

That left us with the final issue – In order for the cost of care for an Alzheimer patient not to bankrupt all but the most wealthy families, what is the solution to Alzhiemer care costs? When she asked me this question, I thought for a few moments, and gave her my honest answer – “I have no idea.”

I told her that I would pose the question to you. Maybe some of you can come up with innovative ideas. I will be speaking with her again in the future, as her article is in the early planning stages, and she is not sure in which direction her editor wants to take it.

So I turn it over to you. Please post your ideas for solutions to Alzheimer costs on the Message Board topic: Joan’s Blog – Joan, The Reporter, and Alzheimer Costs.

Feedback to joan@thealzheimerspouse.com
©Copyright 2013Joan Gershman
The Alzheimer Spouse LLC
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