What is long-term care
Long-term care refers to the health and/or personal care administered to assist an individual who can otherwise no longer fulfill these needs on his/her own. Some of these services may even extend to be as intricate as help with task completions such as grocery shopping, money management, house cleaning, and medication management. Although possible, the majority of long-term care is non medical and deals more so with daily living activities and everyday tasks. These ADL’s or activities of daily life are often categorized as follows:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Toileting
- Transferring
- Caring for incontinence
- Eating
Who needs long-term care
Anyone can require long-term care due to a variety of reasons however, the older you are, the more likely you are to need care. Women are also observed as more likely to need care given they usually outlive men by up to an average of five years. Those with a history of chronic illness or accident related disabilities are also more likely to need. To put into perspective, those who plan to live a long life will likely need care as 69% of individuals age 90 or up are ailed with illness and disabilities which require additional support. Further evidence suggest that as many as 70% of individuals approaching age 65 will need some form of long-term care in their lifetime. Other factors to consider which will also raise your probability of needing long-term care are:
- Family history
- Living alone
- Diabetes
- Poor diet
- High blood pressure
Who, Where, How
Long term care can be provided within a range of places including at home or within facilities such as adult day cares, nursing homes, community homes, and or assisted living facilities. The care may also be administered by relatives, trained professionals, medical personnel, or contracted workers. Your level of care will vary dependent upon your specific needs and preferences. It is no secret that this care can be quite costly an your options for paying for this care will vary. The two most common options are out of pocket or via long-term care insurance or hybrid plans. Consider the cost of care in your state and than research your options.
If you or someone you love is interested in Long Term Care Insurance be sure to visit: LTC TREE for more information.
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