Types of care
Custodial care
Custodial care is non-medical help with daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, and using the toilet. Aides can provide it at home or in a facility. Medicare calls it long-term care and generally does not pay for it when it is the only care a person needs.
Why it matters for your family
Most ongoing home care is custodial. A loved one with arthritis or memory loss may need daily help but no nurse. Families are often surprised that Medicare does not pay for it. Medicare says it does not pay for long-term care, and Medigap does not either. Payment usually comes from savings, long-term care insurance, a veterans benefit, or state Medicaid programs for eligible people. Check the policy wording, because some plans use the term custodial in different ways. An elder law attorney can explain how to plan and pay for this care over time.
Source: medicare.gov
Read more: What Medicare Doesn't Cover
Related terms
- Medicare coverage of custodial careCustodial care is non-skilled personal care, such as help with bathing, dressing, eating, and using the bathroom.
- Long-term care insuranceLong-term care insurance is a private policy that pays for help with daily living when a person can no longer manage alone.
- MedicaidMedicaid is a joint federal and state health coverage program for people with limited income and resources.
- Private payPrivate pay means a family pays for care directly from its own money.
- Personal carePersonal care is hands-on help with daily self-care, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, and moving around.
- Activities of daily living (ADLs)Activities of daily living (ADLs) are the basic self-care tasks people do each day.
