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Can an Elderly Person With Dementia Obtain Continuous Home Care?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
An elderly person with dementia can obtain continuous home care if they qualify for hospice coverage through Medicare. Continuous home care includes nursing care for a minimum of eight hours and up to 24 hours. This care applies in crisis situations for hospice patients or when deemed necessary during the advanced stages of a progressive illness. Medicare covers hospice for your loved one if they have a terminal diagnosis with a life expectancy of less than six months, certified by the hospice physician.
How Does Medicare Define a Crisis for Continuous Home Care?
Medicare doesn’t cover continuous home care outside of a crisis period. This type of hospice care doesn’t provide respite care or a solution for safety concerns such as wandering without the presence of acute symptoms.
Can a Person With Dementia Receive 24-Hour Care Outsideof Hospice?
A person with dementia can receive 24-hour care outside of hospice, but they must pay out of pocket for some of the cost. If they don’t qualify for hospice care, Medicare covers only part-time, intermittent home care. In this case, your family member will receive up to eight hours a day or 28 hours in a week. If your loved one needs 24-hour supervision to stay safe, consider moving them to a family member’s home or a nursing home.