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Who May Need Long-Term Care?
The need for long-term care may begin gradually as you find that you need more and more help with activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing. Or you may suddenly need long-term care after a major illness, such as a stroke or heart attack. If you do need care, you may need nursing home or home health care for only a short time. Or, you may need these services for many months, years, or the rest of your life.
It’s tough to know if and when you will need long-term care, but there are some statistics that may help you formulate a strategy to prepare. For example:
• Life expectancy after age 65 has now increased to 17.9 years, up from 1940 when life expectancy after 65 was only 13 extra years. The longer people live, the greater the chances they will need assistance due to chronic conditions.
• About 12.8 million Americans of all ages require long-term care, but only 2.4 million live in nursing homes.
• About 44% of people reaching age 65 are expected to enter a nursing home at least once in their lifetime. Of those who do enter a nursing home, about 53% will stay for one year or more.
Protecting What You Have–An Introduction to Long-Term Care 33
