A  PERSONAL LONG TERM CARE STORY

     A few years ago, as my wife and I entered our 60’s, we began thinking about getting older and perhaps someday needing some sort of long term care.  This was rather painful thinking process, because it was really not something we wanted to do.  At that point in our lives we were both still in good overall health and were more physically active than most people our age.  The only exception to this was the fact that I had a heart attack at age 46 and my wife was considerably overweight.
     My heart attack at such a young age was very puzzling to my doctor in that I was not overweight, followed a reasonable diet, was moderately physically active, doing my own yard work, carried my own bag and walked when I played golf, jogged a few times a week. I had a personal philosophy to never use a power tool when I could do it by hand.  My cholesterol levels were always where they should be and I had excellent blood pressure, and I did not smoke.  Basically I was in perfect health – I thought.  After the heart attack it was discovered I had a cholesterol blockage in the left descending coronary artery—one the doctors call the “widow-maker!”  The other coronary arteries were okay.  My treatment consisted of a stricter diet and a more regulated exercise program.  About twenty years after the heart attack my cardiologist had me do a stress EKG and noted that my heart was functioning at a higher level than other men my age that had never had heart attacks!  I had noticed that I was able to do things physically that many of my same aged and younger colleagues could not.
     I am now age 72 and just recently suffered a “heart episode” where my heart began fibrillating and I briefly passed out.  I was rushed to the hospital, a blockage was found in another artery, so angioplasty was performed and a stint inserted.  I am now back to my normal activities, but with more subdued vigor.
    When my wife and I were married, she was 5’10” and weighed 160. She was very active and came from a family where all members lived into their 80’s and 90’s. She was a high school basketball player and her team won a state championship.  From birth to about age 55, she was never sick a day in her life.  People in her family had very few physical problems.  Despite eating a high fat diet, their cholesterol levels were always below normal. Over the years though, my wife and her relatives tended to gain weight—but still maintained normal blood pressure readings.   As they entered their 60’s most would be from 50 to 100 pounds overweight and their physical activity was considerably less.   I suppose they must have had the hearts of lions, because there was never any heart disease among the 50 or so relatives I have known.   However, some would develop joint problems in their later years, requiring either hip or knee replacement surgery.   This was likely due to genetics and being overweight.
     Unfortunately at age 64 her knees had deteriorated to the point that the only solution was total replacement surgery.  Her condition was caused by obesity, too much basketball wear and tear as a teenager, and genetics.
      At his point I want to interrupt this account by talking about our experience with Long Term Care.  Our insurance agent and family members convinced us that this was the route for us to follow when I was age 62 and my wife age 61.  At the time I was qualified and took out a two year policy with a $100,000 limit and the all important 5% compound inflation protection.  My wife later took out the same type policy after wrestling with denial of if a long term care stay could happen to her.
      I have never had to use my Long Term Care Insurance benefits, but my wife has and it has saved us financially.  To shorten her recent medical sojourn, she had both knees replaced successfully, six months apart.  But she fell after each operation—the first time in the hospital—required subsequent corrective surgeries, which were only partially successful.  She developed a staph infection after one surgery requiring additional hospital, nursing home, and home nursing care.  Due to a weakened condition stemming from all of these conditions she fell on several occasions and broke bones in both lower legs twice, requiring extensive additional care.  Overall, in a two year period she has had 10 surgeries, extensive rehabilitation work, and is now confined to a wheelchair most of the time.  She can stand up and walk with a walker tediously.  She will probably remain in this condition the rest of her life.
      Our health insurance and Medicare has covered most of the medical costs, but nothing more. However, our Long Term Care insurance has enabled her to remain independent and to be able to stay in our home.  It has paid for most of the cost of the building of a ramp to get into our house, the widening of doors to facilitate her wheelchair and the remodeling of our bathroom so she can roll into the shower in her wheelchair.  It also paid for a home-care worker who came to our home for about 6 months to assist her with duties she could no longer perform at that time.
      Has Long Term Care insurance been a good thing for us?  You had better believe it.  It saved us from getting in a desperate situation, provided need care, and is still there for future needs if we need it.  If you’d like to learn more about long term care insurance please take a minute to fill in the form below.