Who Pays For Nonmedical Eldercare Service?

A parent begins to fail. Family notice the senior is experiencing difficulty walking, dressing, talking, eating, cooking, climbing steps, remembering medications, setting up bath, oral care, hair care, reading mail, washing dishes, discarding expired food, taking garbage out. Medicare will pay for a nursing home stay if the senior needs skilled nursing following a hospital stay. Medicare will not pay for an assisted living facility, conitinueing care retirement community, adult day services, or nonmedical in home care. Medicare will pay for intermittent skilled nursing care in the home setting. This is an acute episode, skilled nursing is required, and the senior is completely home bound. When the senior spends down to level of few financial assets and low income they can be evaluated for medical assistance through their county. Medical assistance is dependent upon the senior meeting functional (requires skilled nursing) and financial (low assets/income) eligibility requirements. So it seems neither medicare or medicaid will pay for non medical eldercare (personal custodial care) without the need for skilled nursing service. Seniors who require assistance with daily chores to remain in home pay out of pocket for this service. Scheduling help to come to the seniors home can be cost effective. Home Care Path LLC coordinates staff to assist with chores preventing the senior from getting so run down they end up in the emergency room or permanantly placed in an assisted living facility.