Philadelphia Alzheimer’s Care

When you hear that a family member or loved one has Alzheimer’s disease it can be a scary and frustrating time. You might have a million questions and there can be a ton of information to sift through. Don’t worry though because you’re not alone, over 5 million adults in America are living with this disease every day and there is more help than you might think.

The Alzheimer’s Association has numerous educational programs, resources, helplines, and events that help the public become more aware of the disease as well as give them a chance to help the effort to find a cure. Right here in Philadelphia, there is an active chapter that can provide you with any support that you might need. Philadelphia is also home to at least eight senior living facilities that specialize in Alzheimer’s care, and Wesley Enhanced Living at Stapeley has won the 2016 Best of Senior Living award from SeniorAdvisor.com.

Alzheimer’s Facts in Philadelphia

It’s projected that by the year 2050 there will be 16 million people with Alzheimer’s disease. Today in Philadelphia there are 270,000 people living with the disease.

3,271 people died in Philadelphia last year because of Alzheimer’s.

13% of seniors in the Philadelphia area have Alzheimer’s.

By the year 2025, the number of cases in Philadelphia is expected to increase by 18.5%.

Unpaid caregivers work a total of 765,000,000 hours, which would cost about $9,304,000,000.

There is some light at the end of the tunnel. Every day, new breakthroughs occur and the Philadelphia’s Alzheimer’s Association chapter is at the forefront. They raised over 4 million dollars last year and held the second largest Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Details Of Alzheimer’s Care

Creating a care plan for your family member or loved one is one of the most important first steps in dealing with the disease. You want to make sure that you choose an option that will create a safe environment where your family member feels comfortable. It’s also likely that as the disease progresses the care will change.

Adult day care programs and in-home healthcare workers are two options that many people choose especially at the onset of the disease. Day care programs allow the primary caregiver to go to work or do other errands while knowing that their loved one is safe and taken care of. You can also hire someone to come into your home to take care of your family member. These healthcare workers are specially trained to work with people who have Alzheimer’s.

Finally, you can place your loved one into an assisted living facility that specializes in Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. They can receive around the clock care at these facilities, and if anything goes wrong they are seconds away from medical help.

Philadelphia’s Alzheimer’s Cost

America is currently paying over $226 billion for Alzheimer’s care costs and that number is only going to keep growing. The cost to you here in Philadelphia is going to vary from facility to facility and can even change between different regions of the city. The type of care you choose will also affect your total cost.

If you choose an assisted living facility, you can expect to pay around $58,626 every year. Adult day care programs will cost around $19,110 each year and in-home health care aides will be $50,336 per year. All those prices are expected to grow in the next 5 years, anywhere from 1 to 3%.

Paying For Alzheimer’s Care

Those numbers can be a shock, but you don’t have to start worrying because you have options. If you are looking to lower the cost of care you might want to look into semi-private rooms at an assisted living facility. This can help you save over $10,000 here in Philadelphia. You can also try part-time in-home care or only going into a daycare program a few days a week.

To cover the costs of Alzheimer’s care, you should check to see if your loved one has a long-term insurance policy. This is one of the best ways to cover care costs and you should check with their agent to see what is covered in their policy. Now is also a good time to set up automatic payments so the coverage doesn’t lapse and even purchase a policy for yourself.

Medicaid is also another good option for low-income families and they are one of the biggest programs that cover long-term care. You can visit here to see if you’re eligible for coverage. Veteran’s benefits are also another good option and you should check with your local office to see what you’re entitled to for long-term care.

You can also check with groups like Life Care Funding and Center for Long-Term Care Financing to explore all of your options.