I’m from the government. I’m here to help.

Chances are, if you are in the United States and you are new to elder care for an aging parent or grandparent, then you will likely have to deal with Medicare and Social Security.

Let me say, it was a bit of an eye opener for me when my dad, normally the epitome of having his business and financial act together, handed me my mother’s long term care insurance policy and essentially told me to “go for it” when my mother needed to be admitted to one a few years ago.

I had about an hour to find out about nursing homes, and, I also had to learn about home health care coverage, a common need for seniors as they are, but, are still living at home.

Now, government programs get a bad rap from media, movies and word of mouth, but, I found that the websites for Medicare and Social Security were actually very helpful to me as a complete novice to the process.

On the Social Security website, you can apply for benefits, estimate future benefits, find out what benefits you qualify for, and, more.

The Medicare website is full of information, and, you can do lots of things there, too. I was immediately indoctrinated into the world of Nursing Home Compare and Find Out What Medicare Covers.

If you don’t already have an idea of how Medicare works, and, you think you might need that information one day, I suggest you read up now, and, not when it becomes urgent.

If you don’t live in the United States, and, you think you may be caring for an elderly friend or relative one day, I encourage you to learn about what insurance program is involved and how to access providers should the need arise.