Why Is Long Term Care Such A Problem? 

Due to advances in our medical technology, our society has been blessed with an increasing average life span. Today, we are living almost twice as long as our ancestors did only 100 years ago. Unfortunately, along with this comes the drawback that the longer we live, the more likely we may need long-term care before we die.

This section addresses the risks of needing long-term care as well as the average length of time that people may need long-term care. It also covers how our aging population increases the need for long-term care and how families are not equipped to handle their needs. 

What are my odds of needing long-term care?
 
It is human nature to think that YOU will never need long-term care. After all, things like that happen to OTHER people, right? That is what most of us would like to believe. Because we don't think it will happen to us, we are often reluctant to plan ahead for future long-term care needs. The reality is that there is a strong possibility that you will need some type of long-term care at some point in your life.

"While the general population perceives the risk of needing long-term care services to be less than 25%, the actual risk for needing long-term care (either home care or nursing home care) is greater than 50%." LifePlans, Inc. January 2002

Who is at risk for needing long-term care? Isn't it just older people?   While many older people need long-term care, it is important not to overlook that young people can need long-term care too. It is never too early to plan for your future long-term care needs. Some common reasons that young people can need long-term care are: strokes, Parkinson's disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and accidents to name just a few.

Over 40% of Americans receiving long-term care are under 65 years old.

Long-Term Care Chart Book: Persons Served, Payers, and Spending, The Urban Institute in Collaboration with the Congressional Research Service, May 5, 2000

I can't see myself in a nursing home. 
I'd rather jump off of a bridge or shoot myself!

People may have a hard time admitting that they could need long-term care because they associate long-term care with nursing homes. None of us can imagine ourselves being in nursing homes. In fact, we may live our lives promising our parents that we will NEVER put them in a nursing home. A nursing home is the LAST place we would like to receive care.

The good news is that a nursing home is probably the last place you will have to go. Today, there are so many more options that weren't available before. Now it is possible to stay at home or live in an assisted living facility, rather than go to a nursing home. Many people are more realistic about seeing themselves needing long-term care in their home.

The U.S. nursing home occupancy rate has decreased from 100% to 85% over the last 15 years as more seniors have moved toward assisted living facilities and home health care, according to Joseph Angelelli, an assistant professor of health policy and administration at Pennsylvania State University.  Coverage & Access/New York Times, April 25, 2005

HOW LONG WILL YOU NEED LONG TERM CARE?