I'm caring for someone
How do I find out if my parent can still live alone?
Photo: T Leish / Pexels
Start with their doctor and ask for a cognitive assessment. Insurance covers it: public and private health plans both pay for a cognitive assessment and a care planning visit when a doctor orders it. After that, an occupational therapist can look at how they manage everyday tasks.
What to do
- Write down what you've noticed, with dates: missed medications, falls, unpaid bills, getting lost, spoiled food, new dents in the car.
- Send that list to their doctor before the next visit. The doctor can read it even if your parent hasn't agreed to share anything back with you.
- Ask the doctor for a cognitive assessment and care planning visit, and for an occupational therapy evaluation of daily tasks such as bathing, cooking and medications.
- Call the local Area Agency on Aging, through the Eldercare Locator, to ask what help at home exists in your parent's area.
What to say
Doctor, I'm worried about Dad living alone. Here is what I've seen. Could you do a full cognitive assessment and tell us what support he needs to stay safe at home?
Ask your parent if you can come to the visit. Medicare says a patient can bring someone along to listen and answer questions.
What to watch out for
This is a sensitive stepSmall details here can change the outcome, and some mistakes are hard to undo. We highly recommend a free 15-minute call with us before you decide.
Waiting for one big event before asking. A fall or a kitchen fire often forces the decision, with fewer choices. And a diagnosis isn't the same as losing the right to decide: that is a court question under state law, and a last resort.
Better done together
We’re here to help
Deciding whether a parent can stay at home is a big, emotional question. We help you set up the right assessments, read what they show, and talk about next steps in a way that keeps your parent at the center.
Every situation is different, and these are sensitive moments, so we look at yours with care. We often see what others miss, and we never take commissions from insurance companies: the only thing we are working for is what is right for you.
Free · 15 minutes · No pressure
The rule behind it
Medicare Part B covers a separate visit for a cognitive assessment and a care plan; after the Part B deductible you pay 20%. The yearly wellness visit includes a check for signs of dementia and costs nothing if the provider accepts assignment. Part B also helps pay for outpatient occupational therapy for daily tasks like dressing and bathing, when a doctor or other provider certifies it's needed. HIPAA does not stop a doctor from listening to family members' concerns. Whether someone can no longer make their own decisions is decided by a court under state law, through guardianship or conservatorship.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Cognitive assessment & care plan services
- Medicare.gov — Yearly wellness visits
- Medicare.gov — Occupational therapy services
- HHS — HIPAA FAQ: family members' concerns
- Eldercare Locator (Administration for Community Living)
Amanda Alcodia
Education, not medical, legal or insurance advice.
Useful next steps
Start with the free Kit. If your situation needs a person, the intro call is free too.