Kate Ferranti describes her father as compassionate, calm, and beloved by everyone who meets him. She credits him for instilling in her many of her skills, likes, and interests. However, at the age of 75, she is facing the heartbreaking reality of watching Lewy Body Dementia deteriorate her father’s brain. Instead of cherishing the time she has left with him, Kate is consumed with the financial burden of paying for his care, exacerbated by the fact that Medicare does not cover dementia costs.
When her father was diagnosed with dementia, Kate reached out to Medicare for assistance with covering his memory care home expenses, only to receive a shocking response stating, “We don’t consider dementia a medical issue.” Despite her father’s inability to perform basic tasks and needing constant care, Medicare failed to recognize his condition as a legitimate medical concern.
Kate believes that conversations about planning for aging, sickness, and death need to happen more frequently within American families. She emphasizes the importance of neurologists discussing financial planning early on in the disease, policymakers reevaluating Medicare’s support for dementia patients, and families preparing for the financial challenges associated with dementia care.
The neglect of dementia by Medicare places a significant financial burden on middle-class families and can lead to caregiver stress. To mitigate these challenges, families are encouraged to consider long-term care insurance, explore Medicaid as an alternative coverage option, seek caregiver support, and engage in advanced care planning.
While changes to Medicare’s coverage of dementia are necessary, proactive preparation and collaboration with available resources can help middle-class families navigate the current system’s obstacles. By taking necessary steps and advocating for reform, families can ensure their loved ones receive the best possible care in the face of a dementia diagnosis.
