Is Your Home Set Up for Safety?

By Steve Elliott | January 9, 2024 | Comments Off on Is Your Home Set Up for Safety?

How safe is your home right now? You might be in your 40s, 50s, or early 60s and have never really given it much thought or thought about getting a long-term care insurance quote. The longer you stay in the same place, the more comfortable you are with those surroundings. You can probably make it from your bed to the bathroom in pitch darkness, carefully measuring your steps because you know where every piece of furniture is. You know where the doors are, the light switches, and that certainly makes you feel comfortable and perhaps safe and secure.

Long-Term Care Insurance Quote Rancho Bernardo CA - Is Your Home Set Up for Safety?

Long-Term Care Insurance Quote Rancho Bernardo CA – Is Your Home Set Up for Safety?

However, as you get older, things are going to change. Your physical abilities will be compromised due to the natural process of aging, health issues, accidents or injuries, or something else you simply can’t foresee right now.

When that happens, that once perfectly “safe” home is a bit scarier. Navigating the steps or stairs becomes trickier. Your foot catching on the corner of a chair in the kitchen no longer means a stubbed toe (along with some colorful language) but rather a potentially devastating fall with a broken hip, sprained ankle, or wrenched shoulder.

When that happens, you could be looking at long-term care. That might be in the form of a nursing home, assisted living facility, in-home care providers, or a combination of the three. Do you have any idea how much that might cost? If not, you may be in for a rude awakening. Mostly because you would likely have to pay that expense out-of-pocket.

How do you set up your home for safety?

First things first. If you don’t know the cost of long-term care, find out. To give you a general rundown, the United States averages are around $55,000 per year for in-home care, $75,000 for assisted living, and $85,000 for nursing home care. In some states, nursing care costs can be well over $300,000 already.

If you’re looking at those numbers and your mouth is going dry, your heart is elevated, but you’re not alone. It’s better to know these numbers now in your 40s or 50s than in your 70s or 80s and having to pay that yourself.

Now, let’s talk about safety.

Declutter your home. As you get older, it’s time to begin thinking about decluttering. That means removing as many objects and items, including furniture, that you simply don’t use or need. Anything that is on the floor is a potential tripping hazard.

Improve the lighting. As you get older, it becomes a little bit more difficult to see clearly, especially at night. It’s a good idea to add more lights, consider increasing the wattage, and replace any dead bulbs as soon as they go out.

Look at area rugs. Any corner or edge on a rug that is turned up or not smooth is a potential tripping hazard. Replace or completely remove area rugs and make sure that polished floors are not too slick or that you have grip socks or “grippy” slippers and shoes when walking across them.

These are just a few ideas to get you started on improving safety for your home but also look into long-term care insurance now while you can and get a long-term care insurance quote.

If you or a loved one are considering a Long-Term Care Insurance Quote in Rancho Bernardo CA, please get in touch with Steve Elliott at Capstone Insurance for an honest discussion about your future and your options. Call today at (858) 350-3161.

Steve Elliott
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