Planning Ahead for Long Term Care

If you would like to schedule a tour, the Admissions office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and after hours upon request. We encourage tours and you may schedule one by contacting us by telephone at (603) 527-4400 or by e-mail at admissions@nhvh.nh.gov. In case you need to send us a fax you may do so at: (603) 527-4850.

View of the pond at
New Hampshire Veterans Home

Planning ahead for long term care - understanding your options and creating a strategy - is very important, especially before the need for care becomes critical.

Long term care can include a broad range of services - some of which can be accessed at home, with support of caregivers, and others which may require moving to a long term care facility. Home and community-based services can help people stay independent as long as possible; then, when their needs increase, a long term care facility can help meet those needs. Ideally, the "continuum of care" should fit together like a jigsaw puzzle - with no missing pieces.

At the New Hampshire Veterans Home, we advise veterans and their families to start the planning process early. Our Admissions staff can help, and there are other resources like ServiceLink Resource Centers, Geriatric Care Managers, Eldercare Attorneys, and Certified Financial Planners who have experience in this field. Veterans may be eligible for certain benefits that can help defray the cost of long term care, and the New Hampshire Office of Veterans' Services (located in Manchester: (603) 624-9230) assists veterans who are residents of New Hampshire or their dependents in securing all benefits to which they may be entitled under any state or federal law or regulation.

Nursing Homes

Nursing homes are residential facilities which offer 24-hour nursing care for people with chronic illness or disability. Some nursing homes offer "skilled care," which includes post-surgical wound care, rehabilitative therapy, and help with respirators or ventilators.

The New Hampshire Veterans Home is an intermediate, long term care facility - a nursing home (but not a "skilled care facility") which serves veterans with chronic illness or disability who need 24-hour nursing care. We have a state-of the art dementia facility and programs geared to all residents - including those with memory loss. We also offer palliative (comfort) care and Hospice end-of-life care. Our daily rate includes all nursing care, physical therapy, social work services, dementia care, therapeutic recreation activities, transportation to and from recreation activities and medical appointments ordered by the NHVH MD, meals, snacks, and medications from our pharmacy. Occupational and speech therapy are contracted out. At the New Hampshire Veterans Home, our focus is on person-centered care, so care management revolves around our residents. Person-centered care is a philosophical approach to nursing home care that honors and respects the voice of elders and those working closest with them. It involves a continuing process of listening, trying new things, seeing how they work, and changing things in an effort to individualize care and de-institutionalize the nursing home environment. The care plan is written from the resident's point of view and reads as though the resident was talking. The care plan is developed and modified from conversations with the resident regarding key issues. Individual preference is honored and respected.

Planning Ahead for Long-Term Care Expenses

Long-term care can be very expensive. The costs can get even higher when a person has a serious illness like dementia. Individuals and their families typically pay for services such as respite, home health and nursing home care out of their own pocket; but nursing home care can easily top $75,000 year. However, if you are a veteran with a service-connected disability of 70% or more, you may be eligible for care without cost, so be sure to contact the VA or the New Hampshire Office of Veterans' Services to help you with details.

Reducing the financial stress of paying for long-term care requires advance planning. The checklist below will help you anticipate the costs of long-term care and plan how to pay for them.

Estimate the Costs of Care

In planning for long-term care, consider all the costs you might face now and in the future. The type and level of care a person needs can change over time. Costs may include:

• Ongoing medical treatment
• Treatment for other medical conditions
• Prescription drugs
• Personal care supplies
• Adult day services
• In-home care services
• Residential care services, including assisted living and nursing homes

Gather Financial and Legal Documents

Painting by a resident at
the New Hampshire Veterans Home

The following items should be readily available for easy access by self, spouse/children to complete any applications in any health care facility in the state of New Hampshire, including the New Hampshire Veterans Home:

• For veterans: Proof of military service to include type of discharge, date of entry, and date of discharge
• Copy of health care insurance cards as Medicare and supplemental health care insurances
• Copy of Advance Directives, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, Living Will, and Financial Power of Attorneys
• Last Will and Testament
• Revocable/Irrevocable Trusts copies
• Marriage certificate or divorce decree
• Birth certificate
• Records of banking and investments to include statements for savings and checking accounts, CDs, IRAs, stocks, and bonds, and copies of long-term care insurance policies. These are used to determine your assets. The New Hampshire Veterans Home requires a one-year look back of assets, and the State of New Hampshire requires a five-year look back including income tax files.
• Copies of all monthly income checks if not directly deposited.
• Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of current medical doctors, nurse practitioners, and specialists you see on a regular basis
• Deeds, mortgage papers, or ownership statements to any property
• Pension and other retirements benefit summaries
• Social Security payment information
• Monthly or outstanding bills

Reviewing these documents will help you get a clear picture of existing expenses, assets and income, and help you identify any necessary documents that are not in place. Planning for this important part of life can help make sure your wishes are honored and will lessen the burden on your family. The New Hampshire Veterans Home Admissions staff encourages you to call (603) 527-4400 and plan ahead. We're here to help.

For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions section.