There are many different kinds of long-term
care. Long-term care can take place at home, in senior centers, at community
centers, in assisted living or special retirement communities, as well as in
nursing homes. Long-term care service is not only nursing home care.
IMPORTANT: Medicare does not pay for most long-term care.
Medicare pays only for medically necessary
skilled nursing facility or home health care. You must meet certain conditions
for Medicare to pay for these types of care when you get out of the hospital.
Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as dressing,
bathing, and using the bathroom. Medicare doesn’t pay for
this type of care, which is often called "custodial care". Custodial
care is care that helps you with activities of daily living. It may
also include care that most people do for themselves.
The chart below lists some of the many kinds of
custodial care people often need, like help with activities of daily living or
care most people do themselves. Think about whether you need these services
now, or if you may need them in the future. Check off the services you think
you may need.
You may need help with only one or two types of
activities of daily living, like help with eating or bathing. Or, you may need
help with many activities of daily living or help with care needs, like
diabetes monitoring or help with oxygen if you have breathing problems. Also,
your needs may change over time. It is important to make a list of the kinds of
services you need and revise this list as your needs change.
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Will I need help with the following activities of daily living?
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Bathing
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Dressing
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Eating
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Using the bathroom, including caring for a catheter or colostomy bag if needed.
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Moving into or out of a bed, chair, or wheelchair.
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Other__________________________
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Will I need help with these additional services?
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Preparing meals
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Shopping
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Housework and laundry
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Getting to appointments
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Paying bills and other money matters
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Home maintenance and repairs
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Using the telephone
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Other__________________________
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Will I need help with the following care?
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Remembering to take medicines
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Diabetes monitoring
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Using eye drops
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Getting oxygen
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Taking care of colostomy or bladder catheters
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Other__________________________
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For additional information, please see the
Summary of Long-Term Care Choices information.
Page Last Updated: April 10, 2007
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