How to take care of the health of your ageing parents ?

Posted on: Apr 23, 2019 | | Written by:

How to take care of the health of your ageing parents ?

One day, your parents would not be as fit and healthy as they are today. We understand, it’s hard for many of you to accept this fact. But, the more time you take to make peace with this thought, the more delay will happen with your plans to ensure good healthcare for your parents.

With the passing of the age, your parents not only desire for more emotional support, but also need frequent healthcare.

Though, the best way to care for them is to safeguard their good health. But, God forbid, if something happens accidentally, make sure you don’t find yourself stuck in the chaotic situation where you are struggling between finding the right doctor and arranging for the medical bills. You need to have a health insurance for them so that you are not burdened with the regret that you could not arrange finances for them when they wanted it the most.

Buy health insurance

In the present time, either employers are giving away with the coverage for parents under the corporate health insurance or are demanding the employees to pay a certain amount for the parental coverage. In such a scenario, it is better to have separate health insurance for senior citizens.

Further, to cover the rising medical expenses, it’s better to have individual health insurance policies for them, than relying completely upon your corporate health insurance. According to an article in The Hindu, inflation in the healthcare sector is increasing in double digits (12-15 percent) every year. With rising medical expenses, the only way to ensure proper healthcare for your parents is by providing them coverage under health insurance for senior citizens Emergency healthcare situations of your parents can be dealt with better financial support if you have taken health insurance for them.

HDFC ERGO health insurance for senior citizens allows them to avail the best healthcare treatment without making a dig in their savings meant to make the post-retirement life comfortable. If you buy the policy, you can avail tax benefitsunder the section ‘80D’ to save more money for their personal needs.

Top-up plans for an expanded health coverage

If you have already made a smart move to ensure good health of your parents and other members of the family, then you can further expand the coverage with top-up plans. This is a privilege for those who have to meet frequent healthcare needs of their ageing parents. Also, elderly people are more likely to fall sick on a frequent basis, which may make a huge dig in your family health insurance.

If you have a family health insurance or health insurance for senior citizens for 5 lakhs with the top-up plans for Rs. 10 lakh and a deductible limit of Rs 5 lakhs, then the medical bill of 7 lakhs can be paid easily. Rs. 5 lakhs will be deducted from the original health insurance policy, and the remaining Rs. 2 lakh from the top-up policy. Note, top-up plans pay only when medical bills cross the deductible or threshold limit.

Create an emergency fund

To avail the exclusive coverage under differenthealth insurance for senior citizens, your parents need to go through a mandatory test that applies to all above the age of 45. If they are diagnosed with diabetes or some other diseases, then such ailments will not be covered under the health insurance. But, worry not! If you parents are hale and hearty, they are likely to be covered for most of the age-related diseases.

To cover up for such diseases that get excluded after the mandatory medical test, you can create an emergency monetary fund. It’s good to have savings to meet unprecedented expenses in a real quick time. By creating an emergency fund, the emphasis should be more on liquidity and not on profits. It means, you should put your money only in those investment options which offer easy liquidity. The emergency fund will ensure that the family has some backup when no other help is coming handy.

While taking every good care of your parents’ health, don’t forget to spend some quality time with them. Emotional support to your parents is as important as making arrangements for their comfortable life. Once they are happy and satisfied from inside, they are more likely to fight diseases like a warrior and live long.

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