In Care Of

You may imagine watching the sunset from the same front porch until the day you die. You may cringe at the thought of group meals in an assisted-living facility. A nursing home? Never, you say.

The truth is, your healthcare needs and financial circumstances will one day collide to determine much about how you live out your final days and years. Whether you’re approaching retirement or have parents in that position, it’s never too late (or early) to start planning for future housing and healthcare needs.

“The more planning that you do [and] the more you address the subject, the happier you’re going to be with the outcome,” says Alex Guerrero, who operates www.PayingForSeniorCare.com, a website that offers details on eldercare costs in Texas.

Factoring in fees, health needs, and personal preferences, Texans can plan for a variety of options about where to live as they age — from modifying their own home so they can stay there longer to assisted living or in-home care. But without the right savings and planning, you’ll have fewer choices.

A Helping Hotline

A year in a semiprivate room at a nursing home cost just over $80,000 in 2012, according to figures cited by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. And home health aides run a national average of $20 per hour, according to www.PayingForSeniorCare.com.

Can you swing that cost without leaving a spouse destitute? Or without depleting your estate so you have a financial legacy to leave behind?

More than 5 million baby boomers live in Texas. And The Gerontological Society of America projects the number of people needing long-term care will double nationwide to 27 million by 2050.

“It’s such a large, overwhelming issue; everyone sees this slow- motion train wreck, and no one seems to figure out what to do about it,” says Guerrero.

To help with the rising numbers of people seeking information about eldercare in the Lone Star State, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) recently launched a toll-free hotline. Just call 855.937.2372 to talk with an eligibility expert about the kinds of care available in your part of the state.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” says Cecilia Cavuto, media relations manager for DADS, noting that the trained professionals who answer the hotline can help you find the right long-term care services for your needs. “You can call from anywhere in the world to get information about the eldercare options and programs in any zip code in Texas.” A wealth of information is also available at www.dads.state.tx.us.

And that kind of personalized attention in Texas is an advantage. For most, the maze of websites and information out there can be incredibly overwhelming. “Unless you know what you’re looking for, and where to search online, you’re not going to find all the programs that can help,” Guerrero says. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a program that can help you age in place. Who would have thought to look there?”

Indeed, a more robust industry around caring for the elderly has developed in anticipation of the needs that so many seniors will eventually face. And Guerrero notes that it’s led to one bright spot: new technology that can keep seniors living at home longer — a trend called “aging in place.” Medical alert systems can detect movement and signal family and caregivers when there’s a problem. “It will enable seniors to live independently a lot longer,” he says.

Care at All Costs

In-Home Aides

These folks help with nonmedical needs, from washing dishes to helping with baths. Like a trusted personal assistant, they can also run to the dry cleaner, return library books, and wash clothes, not to mention providing some much appreciated company and interaction.

Cost: $20 per hour, 2015 national average

Home Health Aide

These professionals can stop by to check blood pressure, administer prescriptions, and deal with oxygen tanks and other medical equipment.

Cost: $20 per hour, 2015 national average

Assisted-Living Facilities

These apartment or condominium communities offer some meals, activities, and help with cleaning — but residents still live independently. “What you’ll find [in Texas] is crazy cost variations,” Guerrero says. “In one part of Texas,it will be more expensive for assisted living than in other parts.” Average monthly costs range from a high of $4,000 to $4,500 in Amarillo, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Midland to just $2,000 to $2,500 per month in Corpus Christi, El Paso, Laredo, and Texarkana, according to www.PayingForSeniorCare.com.

Cost: $3,545 per month, 2015 statewide average

Adult Day Care

Facilities that offer this kind of care provide a break for caregivers, and stimulation and entertainment for the aging. “Texas is crazy affordable for adult day care,” Guerrero says.

Cost: $35 per day, 2015 statewide average

Nursing Homes

Round-the-clock assistance and housing for those who can no longer care for themselves costs the most. The Center for Retirement Research notes that it cost $81,030 annually in 2012 for a semiprivate room in a nursing home. And www.PayingForSeniorCare.com notes that Alzheimer’s care in skilled nursing homes is usually subject to the same fee structure as regular nursing home care. This differs from assisted living communities, which typically charge 20 to 30 percent over their standard fees to care for an individual with Alzheimer’s.

Cost: $140 a day, 2015 statewide average (lower than the nationwide average of $212 per day)

Aging in Place

From widening doorways for wheelchairs to other remodeling tricks, homeowners who plan ahead can stay where they’re comfortable. And, again, technology can help family members monitor their aging relatives from afar.

“It can maybe keep them out of assisted living for another 12 months,” Guerrero says. “When it comes to nonmedical supervision, technology can play a big part and delay the need for hands-on care.”

Cost: Varies based on remodeling work and type of in-home monitoring technology selected

Having the Talk

It’s tough to broach this subject with aging parents and grands, but don’t delay. “The sooner the better,” Guerrero says. He adds that it’s almost more about how to approach the topic than when. Guerrero shares that his very direct approach almost shut the door on the conversation with his own parent. “Bring it up in such a way as to have a positive discussion,” he advises.

As adults help parents through the process of making these kinds of decisions, it can spur thoughts about their own options for the future. “It raises awareness for themselves,” Guerrero says, and they can start looking into options such as long-term care.

Finally, as you search for eldercare information to discuss with your aging relative, don’t forget to look at respite care options — programs that care for caregivers and give them a break. Cavuto mentions that the DADS hotline and website have details on such programs, and he urges Texans to take advantage of them: “Unless we’re taking care of ourselves, we can’t take care of [our loved ones].”