Editorial Team · Content Writer
Reviewed by John Brown, CSA®
Last Updated: Nov 11, 2026 · 5 min read
Quick Summary
If you and your spouse live in Sun City Texas and one of you is beginning to need daily help, start by pricing the support you need now. Then build a second budget for what care might cost if those needs increase. If one of you eventually moves to a senior living community, account for the expenses and support the other spouse will still need at home.
- Write down what each of you handles during a typical week and who could step in if needed.
- Compare written quotes for in-home care, assisted living, and memory care in Georgetown.
- Check what any existing long-term care insurance policy will pay before counting on it.
- Agree on when to revisit the plan, including if the spouse providing care needs help of their own.
Table of Contents
- Start With What’s Changing at Home
- Build a Long-Term Care Budget for Both Spouses
- How to Pay for Long-Term Care Without Insurance and What Insurance Costs by Age
- Frequently Asked Questions
Start With What’s Changing at Home
Say you and your spouse live in Sun City Texas. Your spouse is in the early stages of dementia or has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. You’re still enjoying life together, but you’ve started handling more of the driving, keeping track of appointments, or staying close while your spouse gets ready in the morning.
Then you have a medical appointment of your own in Georgetown and realize you’re unsure who can step in while you’re gone. That’s a good reason to start the conversation. You can make a plan for that afternoon without having to decide where either of you will live a year from now.
Start with three questions: What do we want to keep doing together? What help would make this week easier? Who could step in if I couldn’t provide care for a few days? Write down what each of you wants and what you can realistically manage.
While you’re planning together, locate your advance directives and any powers of attorney. Confirm whom each of you has named to make health care or financial decisions if needed.
Build a Long-Term Care Budget for Both Spouses
Start with one ordinary week. List when help is needed, who provides it now, and which hours you would need to pay someone to cover. Ask providers for written quotes based on your actual schedule and address. A few weekday visits can be a different financial decision from paying for help every evening or overnight.
| What to compare | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| In-home care in Sun City Texas | What would our actual weekly schedule cost? Are there minimum shifts, weekend rates, or added costs for backup coverage? |
| Assisted living in Georgetown | What does the base rate include? What would we pay for the help my spouse needs today? How would the rate change if those needs increase? |
| Memory care in Georgetown | What dementia support is included? Which services are billed separately, and are there one-time fees? |
| Expenses for the spouse at home | If one of us moves, which housing, transportation, and household expenses continue? Would the spouse at home need help, too? |
Build two versions of your monthly budget: what works today and what you could afford if care needs increase. Keep one-time fees separate so you can see the ongoing cost clearly. For some couples, a regular caregiver visit makes staying at home more workable. For others, a senior living community provides the daily support one spouse needs and gives them more time to spend together as a couple.
How to Pay for Long-Term Care Without Insurance and What Insurance Costs by Age
If you don’t have long-term care insurance
List the income you can count on each month, such as Social Security or a pension. Subtract the living expenses you’ll still need to cover, then compare what remains with your written care quotes. If there’s a gap, a qualified financial professional can help you assess how drawing from savings or retirement accounts would affect both of you over time.
Medicare generally does not pay for ongoing long-term personal care. Texas Medicaid may help pay for certain long-term services if you qualify. If one spouse needs care and the other will stay at home, ask a Texas elder law attorney how the rules apply to both of you before transferring assets or changing how property is titled. www.medicare.gov
For a broader look at funding options, see the SIS guide to paying for long-term care in Central Texas.
If you’re shopping for long-term care insurance
Premiums are generally lower when you apply at a younger age. The 2026 AALTCI Long-Term Care Insurance Price Index compares sample premiums at ages 55, 60, and 65 for individuals and couples. In one example, the index reported an average combined premium of $5,010 per year for a couple, both age 55, purchasing coverage with $165,000 in initial benefits. Use that as a national benchmark. Your Georgetown quote will depend on your ages, health, insurer, and the benefits you choose. www.aaltci.org
Ask a licensed insurance professional to compare quotes at your current ages, using the same benefit amount, waiting period, and inflation protection. If either of you already has a diagnosis, ask how it may affect eligibility before counting on a new policy. The Texas Department of Insurance’s long-term care insurance guide explains what to compare. www.tdi.texas.gov
If you already have a policy
Call your insurer before committing to a care arrangement. Ask what triggers benefits, whether a waiting period applies, how much the policy pays, and whether it covers the home care provider or senior living community you’re considering. Write down what the policy would pay and what you’d still owe. For help preparing that call, see the SIS guide to using long-term care insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compare home care, assisted living, and memory care costs in Georgetown?
Start with written quotes based on the help your spouse needs today. For in-home care, price the hours you’d actually use at your Sun City Texas address, including minimum shifts, weekends, overnight help, and backup coverage. For assisted living and memory care, ask for the monthly total based on your spouse’s current needs, which services cost extra, and any one-time fees. Ask how the price could change if your spouse needs more support.
If you plan to stay in your Sun City home, include the household bills you’ll still pay alongside your spouse’s monthly community costs. Your local Oasis advisor can help you compare what each quote includes and prepare questions before you tour.
Can we start planning if we aren’t ready to move?
Yes. Start with one need that would make the week easier, such as having someone stay with your spouse while you go to an appointment. Price that support, identify a backup caregiver, and agree on what would prompt you to explore other options. You can learn what’s available in Georgetown without committing to a move.
When should we revisit our long-term care plan?
Set a date to talk again. Revisit the plan sooner if care needs change, paid hours increase, or the spouse providing care can no longer reliably cover the same tasks. If a hospital stay changes the timeline, tell the discharge team what you can realistically manage and ask what support needs to be in place for a safe discharge.
Need help comparing care options for your spouse in Sun City Texas or Georgetown? Contact Senior Industry Services for help finding local resources and deciding what to explore next.
How Senior Industry Services Can Help
If you’re planning care for a spouse in Sun City Texas or Georgetown, use the SIS Senior Care Directory to explore local options. If a hospital stay has brought the decision forward, the SIS Hospital to Home resource can help you prepare questions for the discharge team.
About the reviewer: John Brown, CSA® (Certified Senior Advisor), is the founder of Senior Industry Services. Since 2016, John and his team of senior living advisors and associates have helped Central Texas families compare in-home support and senior living options based on their needs, preferences, and budget.
This article is educational and does not provide medical, legal, insurance, or financial advice. Confirm current prices and services directly with providers, and verify coverage or eligibility with your insurer or the appropriate agency.