A capacity crowd filled the community room of the Dallas County Hospital at midday Tuesday in order to dispel myths about long-term care for senior citizens and replace them with accurate facts.
Following a luncheon of chicken and rice, the 50 attendees listened as Sonya Ackerson, owner of Advocate for the Aging LLC in Nashua, Iowa, punctured three common myths about long-term care, which includes home health care, assisted living care and nursing home care.
Many people believe that Medicare pays for long-term care, but this is the first myth. Ackerson detailed the important differences between Medicare and Medicaid and explained very clearly the extent of hospitalization and rehabilitation services that Medicare insurance covers, and the coverage does not include long-term care.
Must you go broke before you can get help paying for long-term care? Many people think so, Ackerson said, but this is also a myth. She tested her audience’s ideas by asking where the funds would come from is they needed help at home or had to pay for assisted living or a place in a long-term care community.
Would the funds for long-term care come from your personal income? Ackerson asked, from your assets? your long-term care insurance policy? your children? the Veterans Administration? Medicaid? the county health department? your church? some other source?
Answers varied, and the variety gave Ackerson the opportunity to shed some light on the realities of long-term care funding and the complexities of Medicaid eligibility requirements.
One conclusion Ackerson reached again and again was the need to speak up, make your desires known, wrest from the system the services you needs.
“You must advocate for yourself,” Ackerson repeatedly emphasized. “You or a loved one must advocate.”
The lunchtime event was the latest in the Perry Lutheran Home’s Aging Well seminar series. Alyssa Poland, identity director at the Perry Lutheran Home, said she was pleased with the turnout, the largest yet for an Aging Well event.
The aim of the Aging Well series is to help seniors and their family members navigate the issues of aging, Poland said. Seminar topics range from financial scam protection to living safely at home to recognizing the onset signs of dementia.
