If you were looking for a sexy lesbian topic, you came to the wrong
article. But if you are middle-aged and in a lesbian life partnership
and want to stay that way till death do you part, read on.
Long term care. What exactly does that mean? In the medical world,
long term care (LTC) is the phraseology used to describe the plans we
put in place for our old age–especially if we become disabled. If you
are aged 45 or older it is not too early to start thinking about.
Better yet, sign up as soon as possible. The younger and healthier you
are when you purchase a LTC plan, the cheaper it is. In fact, if you
develop a serious medical condition at some point in the future, you
may be ineligible to purchase LTC insurance at all.
As lesbians, we have special considerations when planning our
distant futures. In most states, our rights as a couple are not
protected. That means that unless we set up power-of-attorney (POA) for
each other and make other significant arrangements, we can be separated
when we become unable to care for ourselves.
So, let’s say as a couple you have already contacted a lawyer and
have POA papers filed. Now, one of you becomes disabled. Everything is
still under control because the able bodied/minded partner is able to
handle the arrangements. The able partner can provide care herself,
hire help in the home or arrange for appropriate nursing home care.
Great.
Now, fast frame 3 years forward and the able partner becomes
disabled also. In effect, your partnership ends at this point. The
original POA’s you filed for each other would no longer be in effect,
because both partners are now unable to make decisions for each other.
In this case, each of your secondary named POA’s take over. In states
without marriage or civil union protection, it is as if your
relationship never existed.
This means you can be placed in separate rooms within a nursing
facility. Or worse, in separate facilities altogether, at the
discretion of your secondary POA. In fact, even with good intentions, a
POA may have no choice in the matter if there are financial
constraints, not enough open beds in the nursing facility or for a
variety of other reasons. And the system feels no obligation to try to
make special arrangements for you as it does for hetero married
couples. In addition, according to Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center:
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