Poll Reveals Misconceptions About Medicare, Long-Term Care Among Americans

San Francisco, CA (Law Firm Newswire) October 18, 2017 – A survey conducted earlier this year revealed that two-thirds of adults age 40 and older feel unprepared for their own long-term care and have done little or no planning for it. In addition, an increasing number of Americans believe Medicare should pay for it.

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polled 1,341 older Americans nationwide about their views on current and future long-term care. Over 50 percent of survey respondents thought the government should take on a bigger role in helping people with long-term care expenses. In comparison to 2013, 39 percent more people thought Medicare should cover a significant portion of the costs of ongoing living assistance.

“Many aging individuals mistakenly believe they can depend on Medicare for long-term care,” commented nationally known estate planning attorney Michael Gilfix. “This is a false belief that can cause them to avoid planning for their own long-term care. The findings seem to suggest people are approaching old age without being adequately prepared for the costs involved.”

The results indicate more than half of Americans hope to turn to Medicare for ongoing living assistance if and when it becomes necessary. However, Medicare does not provide coverage for the majority of home caregiving or nursing care. While Medicaid may pay for long-term care, it is available only to low-income and disabled individuals and families. Importantly, and with good, proactive planning, eligibility can be achieved and most assets can be protected.

In addition, just a third of survey respondents said they have set aside financial resources to pay for nursing care or home health aides. Fewer than 50 percent have discussed their long-term care preferences with their families, with the majority of individuals believing they can depend on family members for care and support during old age. Most of those polled also do not have a living will or advance health care directive.

“It is important to have open and honest conversations with family members about everyone’s expectations and to ensure that key estate planning documents are in place,” said Gilfix. “Without communicating one’s plans for the future, significant problems can arise for those hoping to rely on family for long-term care.”

Gilfix & La Poll Associates LLP
2300 Geng Rd., Suite 200
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Telephone: (650) 493-8070
http://www.gilfix.com/

Facebook: Like Us!

• Four practical tips for avoiding family inheritance disputes
  Disputes involving inheritance have the potential to tear families apart. Fortunately, proper planning can help reduce the risk of disagreements among loved ones and ensure they will be provided for when you are no longer around. Set up an estate plan as soon as possible. Old age and illness can make it difficult to communicate […]
• Clean Hands, Save Lives, and Avoid Misery
  It's flu season again. All of our staff members want to do what's best for our clients. That includes, we decided, making sure that we, as an office community, make good hand hygiene a habit. At our last staff meeting, I gave a presentation on how to avoid getting the flu, respiratory, and GI illnesses […]
• Be a “Patient Advocate” for Hospitalized Loved Ones
  Hospitals can be unsafe places. Mistakes happen. Sleep can border on the impossible. Hospital based infections happen far too often. To combat all of this and to enhance and protect the well-being of a loved one who is hospitalized for any reason, family members and individuals named as agents in Advance Directives must become protective […]
• Safety tips to prepare the home for comfortable aging
  Many elderly people wish to age in the comfort of their own home. According to the Administration on Aging’s 2016 Profile of Older Americans, over 13.6 million seniors live alone. However, what happens when the home’s once-familiar areas become hazardous? Will the house be able to handle one’s daily needs? It is important to consider […]
• Gilfix & La Poll invites you to join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 14
  Alzheimer’s is becoming an increasingly common cause of death for the aging population in the United States. Over 5 million individuals are currently living with the disease, and it is expected to affect 16 million Americans by 2050. Recognizing the devastation that Alzheimer’s causes on a daily basis, Gilfix & La Poll Associates has decided […]