If your parent is in the early stages of dementia they likely still live at home on their own or with their spouse. If your parent is having problems taking care of their health care needs, they can get the help they need. Below is more information about this so your parent will feel better:

Purchase a Medicare Supplement

Even though your parent has Medicare they will still need some type of supplemental insurance. This insurance takes over what Medicare does not cover.  It does not cover all health care costs, however. It will cover things like deductibles and copayments. Your parent will purchase a supplemental Medicare plan on their own through a private insurance company. The monthly fee they have to pay depends on the plan they purchase and who they purchase it from.

For your parent to have Medicare supplements, they must have Medicare. This is because the insurance companies require that Medicare pay their part before they take over. If your parent has a spouse, they have to purchase a separate plan for them. These policies are renewable even if your parent's dementia becomes much worse.

There are Medicare programs that can help your parent because they have dementia. These programs cover things like testing, diagnosing, physician office visits, and more.

If your parent would like to purchase a Medicare supplement make sure they purchase it through a licensed insurance company.

Hire a Financial Planner

A financial planner can go over all your parent's financial information to help them determine what they can afford, such as if they need a nursing home or in-home care in the future. This is important as you do not want their money to run out.

The financial planner can also help your parent understand the part Social Security will pay for their future care.  They will determine how much your parent gets from Social Security and what their Medicare supplement covers. Once the financial planner has gotten all this information they can sit down and set up a plan with your parent to ensure they are always taken care of.

If you would like to set up a Power of Attorney (POA), which gives you complete control over your parent's finances, the financial planner can tell you the steps you need to take to do this.

If you have more questions about Medicare and Medicare supplement plans contact your local Social Security Office.