Developing cataracts is an inevitable part of the aging process. Eventually, more than half of our population will be afflicted with cataracts, typically starting around age 60. This condition causes cloudy or blurry vision. The only way to correct this is through surgery.

Fortunately, Medicare provides coverage for cataract surgery deemed medically necessary. Cataract surgery encompasses removing the cataract and inserting a standard intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a small, lightweight, clear disk that replaces the focusing power of the eye’s natural crystalline lens to restore clear vision. This procedure is performed using traditional surgical techniques or lasers. Medicare coverage can provide substantial savings, since cataract surgery often costs between $3,000 to $5,000 per eye.

Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, covered under Medicare Part B. After paying the annual Part B deductible of $240 in 2024, you will be responsible for the Part B coinsurance. This coinsurance amounts to 20% of the cost for covered services. If you have a Medicare supplemental policy, or Medigap, you will have full or partial coverage for the 20% Part B coinsurance.

If you are enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage Plan, you also have coverage for cataract surgery. Under these plans, you may have to pay different deductibles or copayments and use an in-network provider. You should call your plan to find out its coverage details before you schedule surgery.

What Is Not Covered

Keep in mind that Medicare only covers cataract surgery with standard (monofocal) intraocular lenses, which improves vision at just one distance so you may still need glasses for close-up vision. Medicare will not cover premium (multifocal) intraocular lenses that can correct vision at multiple distances allowing you to no longer require glasses after surgery.

Premium interocular lenses are expensive, costing approximately $1,500 to $4,000 per eye, which you would be responsible for if you choose to upgrade. Speak with your doctor about your options and costs before you schedule your surgery.

Are Eyeglasses Covered?

While Medicare typically does not provide coverage for eyeglasses or contact lenses, it will reimburse 80% of the cost for a single pair of corrective glasses or contacts after cataract surgery. Medicare, however, limits its coverage to standard eyeglass frames and lenses. If you want deluxe frames, progressive or tinted lenses or scratch-resistant coating for glasses, you will need to pay those costs yourself. Medicare also requires that you purchase the glasses or contacts from a Medicare-approved supplier.

If you experience post-surgery complications or problems that are deemed medically necessary, your expenses will be covered by Medicare. Any eyedrops, antibiotics or other medication prescribed after your surgery would also be covered by Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage Plan that includes prescription drug coverage.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

An important benefit for teachers is the above-the-line deduction for classroom expenses. The deduction for 2024 and 2023 is $300, an increase from $250 in earlier tax years.

A benefit of the deduction is that teachers are permitted to take the standard deduction and still deduct educator expenses. If a teacher is married to another qualified educator and they file jointly, they may deduct up to $600 of classroom expenses. Each educator individually, however, is limited to the $300 amount.

1. Who Is an Educator? - The IRS defines an "eligible educator" as a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide at a school with students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This could be a public school or a private school. A teacher must work at least 900 hours per year to qualify.
2. What Expenses Are Qualified? - There are many classroom expenses that qualify. These could include books, teaching supplies, computers and software. Because there are still COVID-19 cases, the expense also may include masks, disinfectant, sanitizer and disposable gloves.
3. What is Not a Qualified Expense? - There are some types of expenses that do not qualify. Expenses for home schooling or expenses by athletic instructors that are not related to their class are not qualified.
4. Are Professional Development Expenses Qualified? - If the teacher is qualified and spends funds on professional development courses that are related to his or her teaching area, those expenses can be counted. However, they are still subject to the $300 limit. There may be other deductions or credits (such as the lifetime learning credit) that provide greater benefits.

Editor's Note: As millions of students return to school, it is helpful for both students and teachers that the $300 deduction is above-the-line. Most teachers take the standard deduction and still qualify for this additional tax-saving benefit.

A family letter is a key part of a good estate plan. It is much more personal than many of your estate documents. A family letter allows you to share your heart and show appreciation and gratitude to family members. During a time when family members are grieving, it also helps them to complete many practical steps to protect your property.

The family letter may have up to ten different sections. Each section will cover an important but separate topic.

Estate Data

Your estate organizer usually has four parts. It will explain the family names and key information, identify your attorney, CPA and other financial and health advisors, cover all of your assets and financial information and outline your estate planning choices.

The estate organizer may be printed or you may use an online version. Your family letter should explain where the information is located. If you are using an online estate planner, it's important for your personal representative to know your account name and password so the information will be available.

Important Documents

Your important documents will generally be safeguarded in three different ways. First, many individuals have a safe deposit box. The safe deposit box typically holds birth certificates, death certificates, degrees and other legal agreements, marriage or divorce documents, military discharge records, property deeds, a personal property inventory, stock and bond certificates and vehicle titles.

Second, you may have a fireproof box at home. This box will frequently include your insurance policies, your living will, medical power of attorney or advance directive, trust documents and your will.

Third, there are some items that should be left with your attorney, friend, agent or another trusted person. These are items that may be needed while you are still living or will be necessary very soon after you pass away. These documents (or copies of documents) could include your financial power of attorney, a durable power of attorney for healthcare or advance directive, your living will, trusts and your will.

Accounts and Passwords

Because an increasing number of records and information are retained online in personal accounts, you will want to be certain that your personal letter lists all accounts. You may decide to include passwords with the personal letter. Alternatively, if you are entrusting all of this information to a specific person or other location, that should be identified.

With the rapid movement to online banking, online mutual funds and securities accounts, donor advised fund accounts, health savings accounts and your email accounts, you may have six to 10 accounts with various passwords. It will be important to have all of this information recorded.

Your Family History

While your estate organizer will include basic information about you and your family members, there is an excellent opportunity in your family letter to discuss your family history. This can include a few short paragraphs that give the names and background of your parents. List all of their children or other key relatives in your family. Your history may discuss marriages, divorces and any blended family relationships. Finally, the family history will show the date of death for persons who have passed away.

Family history can include discussions of your activities, interests and career. It enables all of your extended family to have a good picture of your entire life.

Care for Children, Grandchildren or Pets

If you are responsible for any children, grandchildren or pets, this is an opportunity for you to explain your plan for their care. While your estate planning documents will normally appoint guardians for your children or grandchildren who are under your care, it still may be beneficial for the guardian to receive recommendations from you on their education and other areas of development that you understand very well. If someone is to care for pets, you may have recommendations on the way in which that is done.

Memberships

You may have memberships in a number of organizations. Some memberships, such as for a country club or club that purchases sporting event tickets, are transferable to heirs. It would be helpful to your family for you to list any memberships that you have so they can handle them properly.

Care of Your Body

When you pass away, your body may be in the custody of a medical center or nursing home. If you have previously decided to make any organ donations, it is helpful to explain that decision in your family letter. The requirements for making organ donations are typically covered under state law. In many cases, decisions on organ donations are made when you sign your living will or advance medical directive.

Funeral or Memorial Services

The cost of many funerals now exceeds $10,000. If you would like to assist family members in the decisions surrounding your funeral or memorial service, the family letter is an excellent way to do so.

First, your family will need to decide whether to have a burial in a cemetery with a casket or to use cremation services and an urn. You may have personal or religious reasons for preferring one or the other.

With a casket and burial in a cemetery, your family will generally make use of a funeral home. Because there now is significant competition in the industry, funeral homes are starting to offer advance prices and package services. If you desire a specific range of services, type of casket or prefer not to be embalmed, those directions are helpful to your family.

There are funeral consumers' alliances in many locations. Your family may find assistance and guidance on www.funerals.org. This guidance may help them make good decisions during a very difficult time in the midst of grief over your loss.

If you are a veteran, your family may want to contact the Department of Veterans Affairs. You may qualify for a gravesite at no cost in one of the 130 national cemeteries for veterans and their spouses.

Obituary

In your funeral or memorial service, there will be eulogies. It is also customary to have a printed description of your lifetime. This will frequently include your basic history, awards, achievements, military service and lifetime employment. If you have specific requests for information to be included in the obituary, it is helpful to your family to give them guidance. You may have certain principles or values that are important to you that you would like to share through the obituary. This is an opportunity for you to communicate your values to the public.

Final Words and Blessings for Family

Your family letter may conclude with a word of blessing. It is a tradition in many cultures for the elders to provide a blessing for the next generation. This is frequently done when the elder is still living, but certainly your family letter provides a similar way to bless your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and other family members.

Your final words of wisdom and blessing for family members will be of great comfort as they grieve your loss. It is an appropriate and fitting way to conclude your family letter.

For individuals with mobility challenges, a walk-in bathtub can be a useful option to consider as it provides easier access into and out of the tub and helps prevent falls. Here is what you should know, along with a reliable resource to help you choose one.

Accessible Tubs

Walk-in bathtubs are uniquely designed tubs that have a watertight, hinged door built into the side of the tub that provides a much lower threshold to step over (usually three to seven inches) compared to a standard tub that is around 15 inches.

Most walk-in tubs have high sidewalls, usually between three and four feet high, and are between 28 and 32 inches wide. In most cases, they will fit into the same 60-inch-long space as your standard tub without having to reconfigure the bathroom.

In addition to the low threshold, most walk-in tubs have a built-in seat, grab bars, anti-slip floors and anti-scald valves. Some tubs also come with handheld showerheads and quick drains that can empty the tub faster than standard tubs. Many higher-end models offer therapeutic spa-like features that are also great for individuals with arthritis and other ailments.

The best kind of tub for you will depend on your needs, preferences, budget and the size and layout of your bathroom. Prices range from $3,000 to $10,000 or more for the tub and installation costs.

Insurance and Aid

Because walk-in tubs are not considered durable medical equipment, they are not typically covered by Medicare or Medicare supplemental (Medigap) policies. However, some Medicare Advantage plans may offer coverage.

If you qualify for Medicaid, your state program may have a Home and Community-Based Services Waiver program that may provide some assistance. Disabled veterans may also receive assistance through the VA’s home modification grants.

There are also grants and loans available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture that help elderly, low-income residents of rural areas make home modifications, which may be used to pay for a walk-in bathtub. Depending on where you live, there may be local programs that can help like Habitat for Humanity or Rebuilding Together. To find out if these options are available in your area, call your Area Aging Agency at 800-677-1116 or contact your nearby center for independent living (see ilru.org).

If you cannot locate any financial assistance and you cannot afford to pay upfront for a walk-in tub, most manufacturers offer financing that allows you to make monthly payments. If you are using a walk-in tub for a specific medical condition, you may also be able to deduct the costs of the tub from your taxes as a medical expense (see irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf).

Choosing a Walk-In Bathtub

To help you choose a walk-in bathtub, the National Council on Aging, which is a national nonprofit organization that advocates for older Americans, put together a review team to research the different companies and tubs. See NCOA.org/adviser/walk-in-tubs/best-walk-in-tubs for their detailed reviews and product links.

To get started, you should contact a few walk-in bathtub retailers who can send a professional to your home to assess your bathroom and give you product options and estimates. Some home improvement retailers offer free evaluations and a wide range of walk-in tub options.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

The rules and requirements for Medicaid eligibility for nursing home care are complicated and will vary according to the state your parent lives in. With that said, here is a simplified overview of the key requirements for qualifying.

Medicaid Eligibility

Medicaid, a joint federal and state program that provides healthcare for low-income individuals, is also the largest single payer of nursing home bills in the country. Some states have different names for their Medicaid program.

Most people who enter nursing homes do not qualify for Medicaid and, instead, pay for their care through long-term care insurance or out-of-pocket. Once an individual's insurance benefits end, or their savings become exhausted, they may become eligible for Medicaid.

To qualify for Medicaid, your parent's income and assets will need to be under a certain level that is determined by your state. Most states, with the exception of California and New York, require that a single person have no more than about $2,000 in countable assets and $3,000 for married couples when both spouses apply. The assets would include cash, savings, investments or other financial resources that can be turned into cash. New York allows for $31,175, while California eliminated its asset limit starting in 2024.

Assets excluded from eligibility include your parent's home provided its equity interest is within $713,000 or up to $1,071,000 in some states. Other non-countable assets include personal possessions and household goods, one vehicle, prepaid funeral plans and a small amount of life insurance.

Be aware that an applicant's home is not considered a countable asset to determine eligibility if a non-applicant spouse lives in the home, if the applicant lives in the home, or has an intent to return to the home. If the home is not exempt, an applicant may be required to sell it to use the proceeds to reimburse the nursing home costs.

After qualifying, all sources of your parent's income such as Social Security and pension checks must be turned over to Medicaid to pay for their care, except for a Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) which varies by state but is usually between $30 and $200 per month. The PNA is intended to cover the nursing home resident's personal expenses not covered by Medicaid.

You also need to be aware that your parent cannot give away assets to qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid officials will look at their financial records going back five years (except in California which has a 30-month look-back rule) to root out asset transfers. If they find one, any Medicaid coverage will be delayed a certain length of time, according to a formula that divides the transfer amount by the average monthly cost of nursing home care in their state.

Spousal Protection

Medicaid also has the Medicaid Community Spouse Resource Allowance for married couples when one spouse enters a nursing home, and the other spouse remains at home. In these cases, the non-applicant spouse can keep one half of the couple's assets up to $154,140 (this amount varies by state), the family home, the furniture and household goods and one automobile. The non-applicant spouse is also entitled to keep a portion of the couple's monthly income - between $2,465 and $3,854. Any income above that goes toward the cost of the nursing home recipient's care.

What about Medicare?

Medicare, the federal health insurance program for individuals 65 years and older, and younger individuals with disabilities, will not pay for long-term care. It only helps pay up to 100 days of skilled nursing facility care, which must occur after a hospital stay that lasts at least three consecutive days, not counting the day of discharge.

For more information, contact your state Medicaid office. You can also get help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (see ShipHelp.org), which provides free counseling on Medicare and Medicaid issues.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that 1.2 million taxpayers claimed more than $6 billion of residential clean energy tax credits. Over 2.3 million taxpayers received $2.1 billion in credits for home energy improvement projects.

The residential energy credit went to 750,000 homeowners who installed solar rooftop panels. About 700,000 taxpayers improved their homes with insulation or other types of energy enhancements.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated, "The law has lowered the cost of clean energy upgrades for more than 3.4 million American families, saving them hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars annually on their utility bills for many years to come."

The IRS website explains there are requirements and limits for home energy credits. There are also specific rules for the residential clean energy credit or the efficient home-improvement credit.

1. Home Energy Tax Credits — Homeowners may claim a credit for their primary residence. Some renters and owners of second homes may also qualify. The specific details on energy credits are explained on energy.gov. The residential clean energy credit generally involves solar, fuel cells or batteries and is 30% with no lifetime or annual limit from 2022 to 2032. For most taxpayers, the energy efficient home-improvement credit for 2023 through 2032 is 30% up to a maximum of $1,200. However, there is an additional potential $2,000 credit for heat pumps, biomass stoves and boilers.
2. Residential Clean Energy Credits — The nonrefundable residential clean energy credit is not limited, except for fuel cells. The fuel cell limit is $500 for each half kilowatt of capacity. The credit applies to both owners and renters of their main home. The credit is normally applied to solar photovoltaic panels, but may also include solar water heaters, wind turbines, geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells and battery storage. Homeowners who receive any rebates or subsidies will need to subtract those amounts from the qualified expenses. Battery storage qualifies if there is a capacity of 3 kilowatt hours or greater.
3. Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit — The efficient home credit is generally 30% up to $1,200 for most improvements and 30% up to $2,000 for heat pumps, biomass stoves and boilers. You must be modifying your main residence, and it must be located in the United States. The building components must have a lifespan of at least 5 years. Energy Star exterior doors or windows and skylights may qualify. Insulation and air ceiling materials must meet the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) standards. A home energy audit with a written report by a home energy auditor qualifies for a $150 credit. The residential energy items could include central air-conditioners, natural gas, propane or oil water heaters or furnaces and boilers that meet Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE) standards. If there are any subsidies or rebates, those must be subtracted before calculating your credit.

I recently received an email that I needed to update my online Social Security account. Is this legitimate or is it a scam?

The Social Security Administration sent out a legitimate email last month to notify recipients that they are making changes to the way you access Social Security’s online services, including your personal “my Social Security” account. The changes will simplify your sign-in experience and align with federal authentication standards and ensure safe and secure access to your account and other online services.

If you created an online “my Social Security” account before September 18, 2021, you will need to transition to a Login.gov account to continue to access your account. If you already have either a Login.gov or ID.me account, you do not have to take any action.

“My Social Security” accounts allow both beneficiaries and those not yet receiving benefits to access services, such as requesting Social Security card replacements, estimating future benefits, checking on the status of benefit applications and managing current benefits.

The online services aim to save time for both current and future beneficiaries, as well as for the Social Security Administration, which grapples with excessive wait times on its toll-free line. The average speed to answer those calls was approximately 36 minutes in the second quarter, according to the SSA. The agency’s goal is to bring the average wait time down to 12 minutes by the end of September 2025.

Update Your Account

If you already have a “my Social Security” account, go to SSA.gov/myaccount and sign in with your Social Security username. You will be guided through the process of creating a new account with Login.gov. Once you successfully link your personal account with your new Login.gov account, you will get a confirmation screen and have immediate access to online services. In the future, you will sign into your account through Login.gov.

Beware of Scams

To be sure you are taking the appropriate steps to update your account, it is important to verify any websites or links leading you to the Social Security website. The legitimate Social Security Administration website link is www.SSA.gov and the agency link to “my Social Security” account is www.SSA.gov/myaccount.

It is very important to be mindful of potential scam artists who may send you fraudulent websites pretending to direct you to the Social Security website. These sites will closely mimic the format of the agency’s links to try to lure you into entering your personal information.

If you see a suspicious email or link, it is best not to respond or click on it. Instead, you can report it to the website of the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General or call the fraud hotline at 800-269-0271.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

A digital will is an informal document that lists your digital assets along with instructions on how to access and manage them after you die. If you or your spouse spend time online, preparing a digital will is helpful for your loved ones and can help protect your privacy. Here is what you should know.

Do You Have Digital Assets?

The term "digital assets" refers to personal information that is stored electronically on either a computer or an online cloud server account that belongs to an individual. Anyone who uses email, has a PIN-protected cell phone, makes online purchases or pays bills online has digital assets. Digital assets generally require a username, password or PIN to access and can be difficult to retrieve if someone is incapacitated or passes away.

Creating a digital will (also known as a digital estate plan) will help your loved ones access your electronic devices and online accounts after your death. A digital will can also guide them in managing your digital assets according to your wishes. This, in turn, will protect your dormant accounts and assets from hackers or potential fraud after you die.

How to Write a Digital Will

Your first step in creating a digital will is to make an inventory list of your digital assets,which includes everything from hardware to email accounts. Here are a few categories to help kick-start your list:

• Electronic devices (computer, smartphone, tablet, external hard drive)
• Digital files (photos, videos or documents)
• Financial accounts (bank and brokerage accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency)
• Bill paying accounts (utilities, mortgage accounts)
• Social media accounts
• Email accounts
• Cloud-storage accounts
• Movie or music streaming services
• Online purchasing accounts
• Subscription services (magazines, newspapers)
• Reward programs (travel, stores)
• Membership organizations

When making your list, you should include usernames, passwords, PINs, account numbers and security questions used for accessing each account. You should also provide detailed instructions on how you want your assets managed after your death. Some questions to consider include: Do you want certain accounts closed, archived or transferred? Do you want specific files or photos to be deleted or shared with loved ones? Do you want your social media profiles memorialized or deleted?

You may also consider appointing a digital executor to manage your digital assets and execute your wishes after you die. This person would be responsible for accessing your accounts and deleting, downloading, converting or managing your files and profiles.

From a legal perspective, it is important to know that most states have enacted the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act (RUFADAA), which legally recognizes digital estates. This law gives your personal representative or executor authority to manage some kinds of digital property including web domains and virtual currency. Legal access to other digital assets, such as emails and social media accounts, requires consent through your estate planning documents or other means.

Once your digital will is prepared, securely store it with your other estate plan documents. Storage options include a fireproof safe, a file cabinet at home, on your computer hard drive, with your estate planning attorney or with a reputable online digital estate planning service. Also, let your executor know where your digital will is stored and how to access it. Remember to keep your digital will updated whenever you create any new digital accounts or change passwords.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel stated, "We continue to see instances where tax professionals have had their systems compromised, and they did not realize it for weeks or months. Identity thieves are creative, and they can find ways of quietly penetrating systems. There are important warning signs tax pros should watch out for that can help alert them more quickly to a security issue and speed is critical to protect clients and their businesses from a security incident."

These tax security tips are explained at Nationwide Tax Forums held in Orlando, Baltimore, Dallas and San Diego. These forums are rapidly filling up and the IRS expects to have a sold-out attendance at each one.

There are several warning signs that individuals and tax preparers should watch for to protect themselves from identity thieves.

1. Unexpected IRS Online Account - If you received notice that a taxpayer has created an IRS Online Account without his or her consent or that the IRS has disabled an existing taxpayer online account, there is a problem.
2. Surprise Tax Transcript - It is possible to request a tax transcript through your IRS account. However, a fraudster may have initiated that request for a tax transcript.
3. Incorrect IRS Balance Due - If the IRS sends a notice that states an incorrect balance due for a taxpayer, there is probably an incorrect return filed by a fraudster.
4. Unexpected Client Calls - The tax preparer may receive client calls that claim to respond to a request. However, the initial request to the client may have come from a fraudster and not the tax preparer.
5. Unexpected Refund - A taxpayer may receive a refund without filing a tax return.
6. Slow Computer Response - The fraudster may have uploaded malware that reduces the responsiveness of your computer. Because information is being sent by the computer to identity thieves, the computer network may slow down. In addition, a computer cursor may move on its own or data may be changed without actions by the tax preparer. Finally, the tax professional could be locked out of his or her computer network.
7. Duplicate Social Security Number - If the fraudster files a return using the taxpayer's Social Security Number, a later return filed by the tax preparer may be rejected.
8. Extra IRS Filing Receipts - A tax preparer may receive more acknowledgments from the IRS than returns filed.

Tax preparers should immediately notify the IRS Stakeholder Liaison if there is an attack. There also is a Federation of Tax Administrators with appropriate contacts for state tax agencies. It is important to be proactive to reduce any potential losses for clients

Finding a reliable and trustworthy in-home caregiver for an elderly parent is not always easy. How can you ensure you find a caregiver that your parent likes and is comfortable with? Here are some tips that can help.

Know Your Parent's Needs

Before you start the task of looking for an in-home caregiver, your first step is to determine the level of care your parent needs. For example, if they only need help with daily living tasks like shopping, cooking, doing laundry, bathing or dressing, a "homemaker" or "personal care aide" could be sufficient. If your parent also needs health care services due to a condition or a disability, a "home health aide" can provide all the services a personal care aide does, plus they have training in administering medications, changing wound dressings and other medically-related duties. Home health aides often work under a nurse's supervision.

Once you settle on a level of care, you then need to decide how many hours of assistance they will need. For example, does your parent need someone to come in just a few mornings a week to cook, clean, run errands or help with a bath? Or do they need more continuous care that requires daily visits?

After you determine their needs, there are two ways in which you can go about hiring someone. You can hire someone ither through an agency or you can hire someone directly.

Hiring Through an Agency

Hiring a personal care or home health aide through an agency is the safest and easiest option, but it is more expensive. Costs typically run anywhere between $30 and $50 an hour depending on where you live and the qualification of the aide.

An agency will handle everything including an assessment of your parent's needs, assigning appropriately trained and pre-screened staff to care for them and finding a substitute caregiver on days the aide cannot come.

Some of the drawbacks, however, are that you may not have much input into the selection of the caregiver and caregivers may change or alternate, which can cause a disruption to your parent's routine.

To find a home care agency in your parent's area, use your preferred search engine with key words "home health care" or "non-medical home care" followed by the city and state your parent lives in. You can also visit Medicare's search tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare - and select the button for "home health services."

It is also important to know that original Medicare does not cover in-home caregiving services unless your parent has receiving doctor ordered skilled nursing or therapy services at home too. But, if your parent is in a certain Medicare Advantage plan, or is low-income and qualifies for Medicaid, he may be eligible for some coverage.

Original Medicare may cover eligible home health services for persons who are homebound and need part-time or intermittent skilled services like doctor ordered skilled nursing or therapy services. Medicare, however, will not pay for 24-hour-a-day care, homemaker services unrelated to your care plan or personal care activities, when it is the only care needed. If your parent has Medicare benefits through a Medicare Advantage Plan, you should verify with your plan about home health benefits. If your parent is eligible for Medicaid, they may also receive assistance with personal care activities.

Hiring Directly

Hiring an independent caregiver on your own is the other option, and it can be less costly. Costs typically range between $14 and $28 per hour. Hiring directly also gives you more control over who you hire, which allows you to choose someone who you feel is right for your parent.

Be aware that if you do hire someone on your own, you become the employer and there is no agency support to fall back on if a problem occurs or if the aide does not show up. You are also responsible for paying payroll taxes and compensating for any work-related injuries that may happen. If you choose this option, make sure you check the aide's references and thoroughly conduct background checks.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living" book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.