Long-term care refers to the kind of care or assistance you might need for conditions related to the natural course of aging or to an accident, disability, chronic illness or cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease. This care is provided when someone can no longer independently carry out essential everyday activities like eating, bathing, dressing, etc.
Often people think of nursing homes when they think of long-term care, but it includes home and community-based care services as well.
Many people find they cannot privately pay for their own long-term care needs because of the high costs involved. For example, the average cost of 2 years in a nursing home is approximately $95,000.* However, depending on the area of the country and the facility, the figure can be much higher.
Currently, consumers and their families largely pay for long-term care services as out-of-pocket expenses. Many of these people are those who can least afford it, older or disabled individuals, their children, or family members who support them.
* A Shopper's Guide To Long-Term Care, NAIC, January 1997
