Archives for July 2019

Good News: LTCi Keeps People out of Nursing Homes!

July 30, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

One of the greatest fears among seniors is having to move to a nursing home. In fact, a study reports that seniors fear nursing homes more than they fear death. They don’t want to lose their independence.

And the majority of family members polled have serious concerns about their loved one suffering from neglect or mistreatment in nursing homes.

When I began selling LTCi in the late-1980s, assisted living was a new industry and facilities were hard to find. Most long term care took place in nursing homes or at home. In those days, some LTCi policies did not include assisted living coverage because it was so unknown.

Well, I’ve got some good news to share!

LTCi Can Keep People Out of Nursing Homes

Things are very different today. The 2019 Millman Long Term Care Insurance Survey is out, reporting on the current landscape of the LTCi landscape. It contains lots of good news for LTCi policyholders.

In 2013, 60% of policyholders avoided nursing homes. In 2017, only 30% of LTCi claims were for nursing homes.

People being cared for in assisted living live longer than in any other setting. LTCi claims for assisted living are now the longest and most expensive claims paid.

I expect this significant drop in nursing home admissions to continue. At least for those who are protected by their long term care insurance. Today, every traditional LTCi policy on the market will cover assisted living. This was not true years ago. Assisted living is now mainstream, popular, rapidly growing, and profitable. Happily, there are so many more choices are available.

Claims Are Getting Paid and In Record Time

The good news continues!

In 2017, payments to LTCi policyholders came to $11 billion for claims. This is a 55.9% increase in claim payments in the previous year. And claims are being paid 8% faster which means families are getting relief in a more timely manner. Expect this trend to continue.

Remember, LTCi ownership is a “long” game. The average age of LTCi purchase is 57. However, people don’t usually need to file a claim until they’re in their late 70s or well into their 80s. People who buy LTCi are realists, willing to plan for a future that’s years away.

If you’re someone who enjoys reading detailed insurance analysis, you can find the full report by clicking the image, below. And if you’re someone who likes planning for an easier future, click here to receive your free, no-obligation for long term care insurance coverage.

2019 Milliman Long Term Care Insurance Survey

There’s No Planning Without Communication

July 22, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

Communication is one of the most important factors in any significant relationship, right? And yet it is usually absent or at least faulty when it comes to sharing important information about health and finances. Sometimes the parents hide information from their children or the kids keep details from their parents. Or spouses feel the need to protect one another from the truth of their declining health.

In a recent issue of the newsletter published by the Society of Actuaries, I read an article written by my friend and colleague, Eileen Tell. Tell is an academic and a researcher. Her article is based on findings from research she conducted for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In the article, Tell summarizes observations from consumer focus groups conducted as part of that study, intended to better understand a family’s search process for long term care services. The findings of the study support the same experiences I observe among my own clients.

“A common theme heard in all the groups was the lack of awareness of the decline in either physical or cognitive health of their loved one until this acute episode occurred.” By shielding family members from important facts, most are caught by surprise when there is a sudden decline in their health.

In many cases, it takes a major event to trigger family involvement. A fall, sudden illness, a stroke, or the unexpected need for a new primary caregiver. Family members find themselves unprepared to manage the important decisions that require immediate answers.

Communication Has To Happen

George Bernard Shaw wrote, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” You may wish that it happened. You may even think you were clear. But until all parties have the details and understand the situation, there’s no way you can properly prepare.

The study groups reveal the same patterns I see with my clients:

A lack of awareness of the decline in their loved one, until an acute episode occurred.
Aging parents typically shield their adult children from the realities of their limitations.
Where mom or dad ultimately winds up receiving care is very much a function of finances.

Sometimes, family members begin to address the sensitive subject of long term care, only to be met with silence, half-answers or a complete change of subject. Especially when it came to talking about paying for that care.

This type of denial is so widespread, that I’ve written many dozens of blogs about it.

I will never understand why people elect to re-act, rather than pro-act. I’ve seen many people who could have afforded long term care insurance (LTCi), but they refused to consider it. As if the very conversation was more taboo than their actual future without plans. LTCi can help cover a lot of future costs. Some often include care coordinators, too.

For my clients, LTCi is often transformative, a game-changer. This makes my career career hugely satisfying.

It’s rare to find families who are composed, level-headed and functional when long term care is needed. One thing should be obvious, though. When someone buys LTCi, they are stacking the deck in their favor that their future will unfold in a more dignified, graceful, considerate and affordable lifestyle.

Click here to receive your free, no-obligation quote for your customized long term care policy.

Bringing Joy to Dementia

July 17, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

Dr. Patricia (Tia) Powell has a new book, “Dementia Reimagined“. In this refreshing piece of work, Dr. Powell, director of the Montefiore Einstein Center for Bioethics, shares her experiences with dementia as both caregiver to her mother and physician to her aging patients. Abundantly qualified and credentialed, she finds herself in the unique position to discuss the possibility of joy, dignity and hope while dealing with dementia.

Terry Gross, host of the NPR podcast Fresh Air, had an excellent conversation with Powell. They delve into Powell’s experiences and her outlook for the future of treating dementia patients. You can listen to the podcast yourself (or read the transcript) here.

“Figuring out how to communicate better, how to listen better to people with dementia while they can speak and even potentially afterward to figure out, what could I do? What actually would be helpful, not from my point of view but from yours? What actually would make things better?”

In this poignant interview, they discuss the various tolls that dementia takes on the person. It’s not just memory loss. It can also include depression or anxiety. It’s a disease of the brain, so it also involves loss of “executive function”. That means that making the simplest decisions or even organizing the natural flow of tasks can be daunting. And frustrating.

Managing Dementia With Joy

Dr. Powell views caregiving and dementia through both a medical and a personal lens. My relationship with dementia patients is as their insurance agent, helping them manage their long term care. It’s reassuring that Dr. Powell and I share perspectives on how to optimize the patient’s experience.

During her interview, Dr. Powell offers sound advice on how families can make the most out of a dementia diagnosis. She often uses music as a real comfort to many of her patients. For some reason, the memories we hold from certain songs manages to hold up over time, even in the throes of dementia.

ProTip: Many professionals recommend making a playlist of your favorite songs NOW, while you can think of those chestnuts that light up your heart and bring a smile to your face. They’ll be such a source of joy for you in your later years.

She also suggests other hobbies like gardening might hold the key to reconnecting the patient to activities they once enjoyed.

Powell also shares her thoughts on why keeping the dementia patient at home is not always the best choice. Followers of this blog know that I’ve written about this often over the years. It’s always affirming to hear the experts supporting my views!

At about the 30-minute mark of the podcast, Dr. Powell does a great job explaining what Medicare and Medicaid pays for, and why neither will pay for the type of long term care a dementia patient requires. If you’re like most Americans, her description will clear up many confusing questions you might have.

Manage the Fear with Planning

Dr. Powell stated people are more fearful of getting Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias than they are about getting cancer. I have to agree with this.

While there is no cure for dementia, we can take steps to plan for the best possible care if and when we need it. Make your playlist. Tell your children about your love of gardening or old movies. And click here to receive your free, no-obligation quote for long term care insurance.

Your Wealth Won’t Protect You From Fraud and Financial Abuse

July 15, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

Many people have a fond place in their hearts for the art of Peter Max. A symbol of the hippie counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s, Max’s work holds prized locations on the walls of collectors around the world. Now in his later years, Peter Max has fallen victim to dementia. His wealth nor his notoriety can protect him from the financially abusive situation he has landed in.

The courts are still sorting out the details of this twisted tale. Including lots of finger-pointing between his second wife, Mary Max (who died from suicide in June 2019), his son, Adam, and his daughter, Libra, along with the various lawyers, agents and guardians who were supposedly protecting Peter Max and his valuable business.

His Wealth Declined With His Health

The current state of Max’s condition is revealed in this article in the New York Times (May 28, 2019). The writer describes his lavish lifestyle and the popularity of his artwork. She also reports on the financial losses of his business and the questionable source of it’s latest recovery.

In 2012, Max’s health had rapidly declined and the dementia had taken a firm hold. Max was unable to work and finances suffered. The business, ALP Inc., defaulted on $5.4 million in bank loans. In exchange for half of his ownership in ALP, Max hired Lawrence Moscowitz, an insurance agent, to help breathe new life into the failing company. Moscowitz, in turn, appealed to Max’s estranged son, Adam, to actively manage the daily operations.

The revived business plan includes the hiring of “an expanding cast of artists to mimic Mr. Max’s more commercial work. In the acrylic-spattered space above the Chinese restaurant, according to seven people who have seen it, there were as many as 18 assistant painters…”

In six years, ALP transitioned from near-bankruptcy to generating over $93 million in sales. This is largely due to the aggressive exploitation of Peter Max’s reputation and his artistic style being sold as originals to unsuspecting consumers.

Where Was His Plan?

Peter Max’s business is now out of his hands, both artistically and financially. His family dynamics have deteriorated with the fight for guardianship between his wife and his children. Much of this could have been avoided by some thoughtful, advance planning and documentation. He could easily have provided for a formal succession plan. He could have selected his own guardian to look out for his interests in his later years.

Wealth is no protection against this type of failure. Oftentimes, the wealth only makes the fall more newsworthy. Stories about people protected from future illness by their long term care planning just don’t make the news.

You can take steps today to protect your future quality of life. Click here to receive your free, no-obligation quote for long term care insurance.

Falling to Your Death

July 8, 2019 by Honey Leveen Leave a Comment

Falls are the #1 cause of long term care need. They are typically a result of decreased body strength, balance issues, vision problems, home hazards or foot pain. Usually it’s a combination of two or more of these factors.

As we age, falls become more complicated to bounce back from. While most falls don’t lead to permanent injury, one out of five do result in serious injury, like broken bones which don’t heal as well or brain trauma.

Falling By the Numbers

In 2017, unintentional falls led to over 36,000 deaths in the US.
The National Council on Aging reports, “Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall; every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall.”
One in three adults over 50 years of age dies within 12 months of suffering a hip fracture.
For older adults, the risk of a hip fracture leading to death is 5 – 8 times higher. Death can occur as quickly as 3 months after suffering the fracture.

What’s Behind the Falls?

The National Council on Aging explains how preventable most of these accidental deaths are. So if we have the means to avoid the injuries, why are they continuing to happen more frequently?

In my experience, many fall-related deaths are caused because people fail to accept the fact that they need to slow down and/or need help in their simple, daily tasks. They shrug off stumbles or occasional falls as “part of getting old”. As their needs rise, they continue to deny their declining capacity. As if this denial of reality will postpone the worsening of their situation!

I see this in my new community at Shell Point Retirement Community and, I must admit, I expected my neighbors to be more in touch with the reality of their true needs. We live in an environment where the full spectrum of care is available and paid for. And that level of care is above average.

I have a neighbor who resists using her walker even though she admits to having great difficulty with her arthritis. She admits to her difficulties with opening jars and dressing herself because of her arthritis. And there are many similar examples of this “head in the sand” avoidance.

The simplest way to reduce falls is to be brutally honest about your actual need and circumstances, and then taking the appropriate action. People evidently have huge difficulty doing this.

Denial of the facts is something I’ve written about extensively. I understand that resisting the truth of our declining health is part of our survival instinct (or maybe just our ego?). It’s just a shame that so many intelligent people are unable to override this instinct more often.

In doing so, they may suffer the ultimate consequence.

Take the first step to proactively plan for your future care and well being. Click here to receive your free, no-obligation quote for long term care insurance.

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Archives for July 2019

Good News: LTCi Keeps People out of Nursing Homes!

LTCi Can Keep People Out of Nursing Homes

Claims Are Getting Paid and In Record Time

Hear From My Clients

From My Blog

Podcast Illuminates LTC Need

LTCI is Magical at Time of Need!

Testimonials