No long-term care insurance? Consider this …

Have you been shopping for long-term care insurance but found the prices beyond your reach? Or maybe you applied for coverage but can’t qualify. Here’s an idea to consider that might not cost nearly much plus could let you stay in your home a lot longer if you require extra care.

Long-term care is generally needed when you cannot perform 2 out of the 6 activities of daily living — eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (walking), and continence. But if you make your home more accessible as you age, you may not need much assistance getting around.

Take a few moments to walk through your home. Imagine you are elderly and possibly in a wheelchair. Can you easily go from room to room? Are the doors wide enough for a wheelchair?

You could downsize to a ranch-style home in retirement so you can move around with more ease if needed. Or you could make necessary changes in your home so you can remain as independent for as long as you can in retirement. If you decide on the remodeling route, you might consider contacting a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS), a certification of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB).