Understanding Your Extended Care Options
Understanding Your Long-Term Care Options
When planning for the future, it’s important to understand the different types of long-term care available. Whether you’re exploring support at home or considering facility-based options, knowing the basics helps you make informed choices that fit your needs and lifestyle.
In-Home Care
In-home care allows individuals to remain in the comfort of their own homes while receiving assistance with daily tasks. Services can range from part-time help with meals and housekeeping to full-time skilled nursing care.
Adult Day Services
Adult day programs provide a safe and engaging environment for seniors during the day while caregivers work or take time to rest. These centers often offer social activities, meals, and limited medical support.
Assisted Living
Assisted living communities offer residents private or semi-private apartments with access to meals, social activities, and personal care support. It’s ideal for individuals who need help with daily living but still want an active, independent lifestyle.
Nursing Homes
Nursing homes, or skilled nursing facilities, provide 24-hour medical care and supervision. These settings are best suited for individuals with chronic medical conditions or those needing ongoing rehabilitation after illness or injury.
Memory Care
Memory care facilities specialize in supporting individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. They offer structured routines, secure environments, and specially trained staff to enhance safety and quality of life.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
These communities provide a full spectrum of care—from independent living to skilled nursing—all within one campus. This allows residents to transition smoothly as their care needs change over time.
Why Do Activities of Daily Living Matter?
Understanding the Seven Activities of Daily Living
A Quick Reference from Next Chapter Care Academy
When it comes to long-term care planning, few concepts are as important as the Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). These are the basic tasks we all perform to care for ourselves each day. Understanding them is the first step in recognizing when a loved one may need additional help — and in planning effectively for future care.
The Seven ADLs
Bathing & Personal Hygiene
Being able to bathe, groom, and maintain personal cleanliness.Dressing
Selecting appropriate clothing and dressing independently.Eating
Feeding oneself, whether or not meals are prepared by someone else.Transferring
Moving from one position or place to another, such as getting in and out of bed or a chair.Mobility
The ability to walk or move about safely, with or without assistive devices.Toileting
Getting to and from the toilet and maintaining personal hygiene afterward.Continence
Managing or controlling bladder and bowel function.
Why ADLs Matter
ADLs are used by healthcare providers, insurers, and long-term care programs to measure a person’s level of independence and determine what kind of assistance or services are needed. Understanding them can help you:
Identify early signs that extra care may be needed.
Plan ahead for home care, assisted living, or nursing support.
Navigate benefit programs such as Medicaid long-term care coverage.
💡 Free Resource:
Download our Quick Reference Guide to the Activities of Daily Living — a simple, printable chart you can keep on hand to track changes and plan for the next chapter in care.
Top Three Myths About Extended Care
Three common myths about extended care and long term care needs - denunked in five minutes!
🏡 The Top 3 Myths About Extended Care — And the Facts Every Family Should Know
When it comes to planning for extended or long-term care, there’s no shortage of advice — and unfortunately, much of it is wrong. Misunderstanding how extended care works can lead to serious financial, legal, and emotional stress for families.
At Next Chapter Care Academy, we believe that knowledge is the first step toward peace of mind. Below, we’re tackling three of the most common myths we hear from families — and the real facts you need to know before making important care decisions.
🧓 Myth #1: “I’ll lose everything if I go into a nursing home.”
Fact: There are a variety of planning options available that may help preserve your assets if you need extended care.
Too many families believe that entering a nursing home means automatic financial devastation. The truth is, with proper planning — whether through Medicaid strategies, trusts, or legal exemptions — it’s often possible to protect a significant portion of what you’ve worked so hard to build.
Understanding how different care programs treat income and assets is key. Planning early gives you the flexibility to make informed decisions before a crisis hits — not after.
👪 Myth #2: “The easiest thing to do is give everything to my children.”
Fact: This can have serious legal and financial consequences — and it’s rarely the best decision for an extended-care plan.
While gifting assets may seem like a simple solution, it often creates more problems than it solves. Transferring property or money can trigger Medicaid look-back penalties, tax implications, or family disputes.
There are safer, smarter ways to include your children in your care plan. With the right legal guidance and long-term care planning tools, you can protect your assets and maintain flexibility — without exposing your family to unnecessary risk.
💊 Myth #3: “Medicare will pay for my extended care.”
Fact: Medicare only covers skilled care, and only for a limited period of time. Extended care — which involves assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing, and eating — is not covered by Medicare.
This is one of the most dangerous misunderstandings about aging and care. Many seniors enter retirement believing Medicare will handle the cost of long-term assistance, only to find themselves facing thousands in unexpected out-of-pocket expenses.
Extended care planning helps you understand your coverage limits, anticipate future costs, and explore alternative funding options — such as long-term care insurance, veterans benefits, or Medicaid eligibility planning.
🌿 The Bottom Line
Extended care doesn’t have to mean losing control — or losing everything you’ve built. The key is education and proactive planning.
At Next Chapter Care Academy, our mission is to help families make informed, confident choices about their loved ones’ care. Our upcoming course, “Senior Care Basics,” provides step-by-step guidance on understanding care options, costs, and planning strategies designed to protect your family’s future.
💙 Because every family deserves peace of mind in their next chapter of care.