Private care for the elderly — and its costs

Whatever you do, do not get old in this province! If you can arrange it, die before you require any form of long-term care or you and your loved ones will spend your remaining days fighting, literally, to the death. The very thin veil of my idealism was violently ripped away by the good folks in administration at Tiffany Village while caring for elderly parents with Alzheimer’s Disease who required long-term care. This facility is beautiful — more like a hotel than an old-age home. When we were told by administration that Mom and Dad could be provided with all levels of care up to palliative care, that they would never have to move again, we were ecstatic.

For a brief two years, this was so — as long as my parents were relatively able-bodied and independent. But caveat emptor! This is a private care facility, and while the personal care attendants are, indeed, caring and dedicated, the facility itself is a business. A newly-developed assessment of needs brought a new analysis and increase of costs for care — doubling them, in fact. I’m sure all levels of care can be provided — at an exponentially increased cost. It’s important to go through this assessment carefully, as well, since not all services delineated are actually being provided, such as assistance with hearing aids that have been lost for months and pay- ing for facilities and activities that one cannot avail of because there is insufficient personnel to include those with dementia. Long-term care at Eastern Health is capped at $2,800, no matter the level of needs or their increase, and their personnel are just as caring and dedicated as those in private care.

Now, I’m not saying that Eastern Health is without its own flaws; however, one rarely feels that one is not getting the value or quality of care for one’s money. If anything, many underestimate and undervalue these caregivers and grossly overestimate the care they can expect to receive in private facilities. So, beware, aging population. “Private care” does not mean “better care,” only “more expensive care.” But hey, you’ll be old and insensible anyway, right, so you won’t know.