Older adults can seek financial guidance from a range of well-known types of professionals, but when it comes to making long-term care decisions, it can be difficult to know who can help. The senior care services a person needs and can receive are greatly influenced by their health conditions, their health insurance coverage, community resources and programs, and the types of senior care services appropriate for them. It can be challenging to know how to navigate all these factors. Here, we explain three types of experts who can help seniors understand their options for long-term care, including State Health Insurance Assistance Program specialists, social workers, and senior living advisors. 

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) specialist

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), a free and unbiased information resource that educates state residents aged 65 and over and their families and caregivers about Medicare, Medicaid, and other assistance programs. 

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 required the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to create state-level advisory programs that help the public better understand these complex programs. Because every state runs its own Medicaid program and may have varying rules about other programs and insurance, each operates its own SHIP with volunteers to educate residents. 

SHIP specialists must provide unbiased information about health insurance programs. For example, they can help explain how to enroll in Medicare, but they cannot enroll someone in Medicare. SHIP specialists can help older adults by: 

• Explaining Medicare enrollment, including penalties associated with late enrollments.
• Explaining the options for Medicare coverage.
• Describing services that Medicare does and doesn’t cover.
• Defining Parts A, B, C, and D of Medicare, including supplemental plans.
• Explaining Medicare Savings Programs.
• Explaining the Low-Income Subsidy program.

SHIP counselors can also refer seniors to the state Medicaid office or the Social Security Administration if they meet eligibility requirements for certain programs.

Older adults with questions about insurance and other assistance programs can find their local SHIP counselor at shiphelp.org.

Social worker

A social worker is a highly trained professional with a master’s degree who helps individuals cope with issues and access supportive programs. Social workers who work with older adults are often employed in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and geriatric doctors’ offices.

These professionals often have knowledge of state programs like Medicaid and Medicare, PACE programs, and other programs that older adults may need to access. They have contact information for local and state offices that can help older adults with these programs as well. 

Because social workers have a holistic view of older adult medical conditions, long-term care needs, senior living facilities, and public programs, they are a great liaison for helping older adults access the help they need. 

Senior living advisor

A senior living advisor is a professional with in-depth knowledge about the common care needs of older adults, long-term care options, and financial options to fund care services. A senior living advisor can also obtain the Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) designation, though it is not required. The CSA designation requires the individual to pass an exam and background check. The exam tests knowledge of the aging process, needs for care, financial matters related to retirement and long-term care, and other pertinent topics.

A senior living advisor can be a great help to an older adult who needs care and assistance in deciding the best way to obtain that care. These professionals typically offer their services to older adults and get paid by the community or the provider where the older adult moves in or contracts services. Some of the services and assistance a senior living provider will offer to their senior clients and their families include:

• Educating the senior and family on long-term care options, including home care, so they can decide which option is best for them.
• Providing suggestions for senior living or long-term care facilities based on the senior client’s care needs.
• Acting as the liaison between the community and the senior and family in scheduling the community tour.
• Accompanying the senior and family on each community tour.
• Connecting the senior and family with individuals who can assess financial ability and needs to pay for care services.

The senior living advisor deals with many communities and home care providers in their area and can objectively discuss each, helping seniors and their families navigate selecting the right long-term care option. Because senior living options and prices vary depending on the location, working with a local senior living advisor is the best way to learn the most about long-term care options in a senior’s area.

Get help understanding your long-term care options

When it comes to making a decision about long-term care services, many factors must be considered. While elder law attorneys, estate planners, accountants, and other financial professionals can help older adults assess their financial means to cover senior care costs, individuals like SHIP specialists, social workers, and senior living advisors can help seniors understand their options for care. Through the collaboration of financial professionals and long-term care experts, older adults can more easily access the long-term care services they need.