Understanding long term care options will enable you to plan and make educated choices about long-term care for both yourself and your family members. The website, "Washington Long-Term Care Options" is a source of education regarding long-term care planning, services available to provide long-term care, as well as resources that will assist you in making informed decisions. We are here to assist you in navigating this process with confidence whether you're planning for the future, providing care for someone else or just looking at what's out there.
Planning for long-term care is a very important step that can help protect your health, your finances, and your independence. Even though many do not think they will need long-term care, it is helpful to plan.
Long Term Care WA has a variety of educational resources that are designed to make it easier for individuals and families to understand the options available in terms of long-term care services; how to provide support as a caregiver; what to consider when it comes to your financial situation; and how to create an effective strategy for planning.
Long-term health care is an assortment of services that will provide individuals with day-to-day tasks in their lives as they age, are experiencing chronic disease, have been injured, or experience some form of physical/mental disability. A key difference that exists in the provision of long-term care when compared to other forms of medical treatment is the focus on providing individuals with the necessary tools to live independently and maintain a high level of quality of life.
Examples of types of long-term care that can be provided include:
• Assistance with bathing, dressing, etc., (personal hygiene)
• Meal planning/nutritional support
• Medication reminders
• Transportation/mobility assistance
• Skilled nursing care
• Memory support for individuals experiencing dementia
• Hospice/palliative care
• Support for family caregiver
Receive professional support from your home. Depending on your need there are many types of at home support options available that could include; Personal care, Companionship, Homemaking assistance, Skilled nursing support etc.
Supportive Housing (assisted living) provides food, shelter, daily care, and socialization to allow you to live independently to the extent possible.
Family Home care is an alternative to large-scale assisted living. It provides a safe, nurturing and supportive family type environment for adults. A caregiver provides care in a home-like atmosphere, providing all aspects of day-to-day care on a one-on-one basis.
If you have more advanced medical needs, a skilled nursing facility may be required to assist you. They provide 24-hour nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medication management and continued medical monitoring.
Caregivers who specialize in working with people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias work with each resident in structured routines and provide a secure environment designed specifically for those with memory loss issues.
The goal of hospice and palliative care is to improve the quality of life of individuals with terminal illness by providing comfort and dignity and also support to the patient's family members.
Preparing for long-term care before it is necessary provides you with the opportunity to make thoughtful decisions regarding your healthcare without feeling the stress of an unexpected health event.
When you plan for your future needs, you will be able to:
Have greater independence and control over future healthcare decisions.Even if you don’t anticipate needing care anytime soon, starting the conversation today can make a significant difference tomorrow.
As family caregivers, we give a tremendous amount of time to our loved ones daily; however, it is just as important to know that caregiving can have physical and emotional demands on you. Therefore, our educational tools are created to educate the caregiver in order to meet their responsibility of caring for their loved one while maintaining your health and well-being.
Information to explore:
We have a growing library of educational information that can help with understanding all stages of long-term care planning.
Some of our most popular items are:
We have developed trustworthy educational content that is easy to comprehend and will help people and families who are making informed decisions regarding their long-term care.
The educational materials that we develop are based on Washington residents so that our visitors may gain insight as to what choices they have regarding long-term care options and consider their options when it comes to long-term care planning.
Healthcare and long-term care planning can be daunting. We assist in breaking down these confusing subjects into practical and understandable material for everyone.
Whether you're thinking decades in advance or trying to get your loved one through the first stage of immediate care, we want to offer useful educational content at every level of your lifespan.
“Finding resources that would help us plan for my parents' futures seemed to be an impossible task. Then I located Washington Long-Term Care Options. The articles provided on the website were very informative as well as easy to read and gave our family a lot of knowledge about the options that we had.”
— Sarah M., Tacoma
“The way everything was described in such simple terms really made it so much easier to learn about long-term care planning. Now I can feel a little more prepared to have those types of conversations with my family.”
— David L., Spokane
“I wanted some reliable information that didn’t use too much jargon as I am caring for someone. This site has been helpful to give me more confidence when moving forward by answering several of my questions.”
— Michelle R., Seattle
Long-term care refers to all those who assist others in performing daily activities (bathing, dressing, feeding, walking, managing medications) when an individual has lost their ability to perform them independently.
Anyone who is elderly, suffers from chronic illness, is recovering from a severe injury, has a disability that affects their ability to carry out daily living activities, or suffers from dementia/alzheimer's disease will need some form of long-term care service.
There are many different types of long-term care service options, including home care, assisted-living communities, adult-family homes, skilled-nursing facilities, memory-care units, hospice care, and respite-care programs for families caring for a member.
You can start now. The sooner you begin the process of understanding what type(s) of care you want/need, how to pay for it, and what your preferences are regarding your own health and wellness, the better prepared you'll be for the future.
Although senior citizens are most likely to require long-term care services due to age-related issues (e.g., alzheimer's disease), other populations (younger adults with disabilities, chronic diseases, or severe injuries) may also need long-term care services.
No. Wa Long Term Care Options is a resource intended to educate consumers regarding the benefits of and the various types of long-term care planning available within Washington State.