Levels of care

"We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society," Angela Davis.

In a recent phone call to our longterm car insurance provider, I was reminded of the levels of care, and I thought it would be helpful to review.

1. Level 1 is, of course, living alone with the help of family, neighbors and friends.
2. Level 2 is home health care: This is paying licensed agencies to send personnel in for shifts of work to help a person stay at home. It is the cheapest of the paid-for assistance. These agencies have people who will help with chores, hygiene, managing medications and help in the activities of daily living.
A subdivision of home care is community care or adult day care facilities, where adults can go during the day for assistance with daily living activities.
3. Level 3: Assisted living: Most of these have levels of care, from independent apartment living to more assistance provided. The price, of course, depends upon level of care among other things. The last time I called one of them, the lowest level of care they offered ran about $3300 per month.
4. Nursing home: This is 24-7 fully assisted care, which provides nursing care with a Nurse on staff.

5. Another service available to us is respite care: someone to come in and take over so we can have a break. The Adult Division of the Department of Social Services in each state in the U.S. has a program which helps financially and informationally, called the Caregiver's Respite Program.

Let us carefully consider the programs and support that are right for us and for the person for whom we provide care.