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Introduction: How to Use This Guide
The Consumer's Guide to Long-Term Care was developed for people concerned
about how to plan and provide for long-term care for themselves or a spouse,
parent or loved one. It contains information to help you make decisions now and
in the years to come that will allow you to retain more control of your life
should you need long-term care. We suggest that you share the guide with your
family and friends, using the information to initiate discussions about your
long- term care needs and financial options. Sadly, this is a subject that is
often ignored until a crisis arises.
How true that is. The most motivated people I have seen buying Long-Term Care
Insurance are those whom have had first hand experience with the need for care.
More and more of us are being realistic about what the future could hold.
Remember that thinking and talking about Long-Term Care does not make it occur.
Be prepared is the most important thing. LTC coverage is not for everyone.
This guide is based on the premise that everyone's situation is unique. Your
decisions and those of your family members as to what type of retirement you
want or where you will live when you are elderly depend on your individual
values, desires and financial circumstances. In the same way, the best long-term
care option for you may be different from the one chosen by another family
member or friend.
One size does not fit all.
The information in this guide was prepared to:
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Provide you with an overview of long-term care issues; and
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Answer basic questions concerning the need for long-term care and how to obtain it.
We hope you will take the time to read the guide carefully. You may want to
keep it in a convenient place for future reference. As you get older, changes
may occur in your life that influence what is important to you. Depending on
your situation, a review of certain chapters may prove helpful. Throughout the
guide, you will find the names and telephone numbers of agencies that can
provide you with additional information on specific topics concerning long-term
care. We also suggest that you consult your tax professional, attorney or
financial advisor before making any final decisions relating to long-term care
planning.
Please keep in mind that this guide was designed for Californians. Many of
the phone numbers of course will be for Californians. Your state may have
similar agencies. For a list of Departments of Insurance and Offices on Aging
please see the Resource
Links Section
of What is Long-Term Care. Lastly, I believe that Long Term Care Insurance
Specialist should be included in those that you should consult. Many of my
clients told me that no one new the subject of LTC better than the LTC Insurance
Specialist.
In addition to the general information in this guide, we have included in chapter
5, a list of helpful questions to assist you if you decide to purchase
long-term care insurance and in chapter 6, a selection of reference materials for
further reading. There is also an index to help you locate information on
specific topics quickly.
Read Chapter Two "Understanding Long Term Care"
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