Long term care of elderly is everyone’s concern since it will most likely affect you or a loved one. In this article I’ll respond to 6 questions that encompass your long term care (LTC) concerns: What is LTC? Who needs it? Who provides help for it? What’s the cost? Who pays for it? What should you do about LTC?
What is LTC?
You need LTC when you need help carrying out your activities of daily living (ADLs) for the foreseeable future. For seniors, this most likely means for the rest of their lives. Examples of ADLs are dressing, bathing, toileting, eating, transferring from bed to bathroom and continence.
Who needs LTC?
Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research (BCCRR) recently found that three of every four 65 year olds are projected to need LTC in their future. The percent breakdown of elderly needing LTC will be:
31% – no care
29% – 2 years or less
20% – 2 to 5 years
20% – 5 years or more
Who provides help for LTC?
Long term caregivers do. They’re either skilled or custodial caregivers. Custodial caregivers are typically family or friends, volunteers, or paid helpers. Heath care plans pay for skilled caregivers (i.e. medical specialists like doctors, nurses, etc.) but only for custodial services if these are given as part of a skilled care procedure.