Long-term care is a range of services and supports you may need to meet your personal care needs. Most long-term care is not medical care, but rather assistance with the basic personal tasks of everyday life, sometimes called Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Using the toilet
- Transferring (to or from bed or chair)
- Caring for incontinence
- Eating
Other common long-term care services and supports are assistance with everyday tasks, sometimes called Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) including:
- Housework
- Managing money
- Taking medication
- Preparing and cleaning up after meals
- Shopping for groceries or clothes
- Using the telephone or other communication devices
- Caring for pets
- Responding to emergency alerts such as fire alarms
Who Needs Care?
Recent research suggests that most Americans turning age 65 will need long-term care services at some point in their lives.
Age
- The older you are, the more likely you will need long-term care
Gender
- Women outlive men by about five years on average, so they are more likely to live at home alone when they are older
Disability
- Having an accident or chronic illness that causes a disability is another reason for needing long-term care
- Between ages 40 and 50, on average, eight percent of people have a disability that could require long-term care services
- 69 percent of people age 90 or more have a disability
Health Status
- Chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure make you more likely to need care
- Your family history such as whether your parents or grandparents had chronic conditions, may increase your likelihood
- Poor diet and exercise habits increase your chances of needing long-term care
Living Arrangements
- If you live alone, you’re more likely to need paid care than if you’re married, or single, and living with a partner
How Much Care Will You Need?
The duration and level of long-term care will vary from person to person and often change over time. Here are some statistics (all are “on average”) you should consider:
- Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years
- Women need care longer (3.7 years) than men (2.2 years)
- One-third of today’s 65 year-olds may never need long-term care support, but 20 percent will need it for longer than 5 years
The table below shows that, overall, more people use long-term care services at home (and for longer) than in facilities.
Distribution and duration of long-term care services
| Type of care | Average number of years people use this type of care | Percent of people who use this type of care (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Any Services | 3 years | 69 |
| At Home | ||
| Unpaid care only | 1 year | 59 |
| Paid care | Less than 1 year | 42 |
| Any care at home | 2 years | 65 |
| In Facilities | ||
| Nursing facilities | 1 year | 35 |
| Assisted living | Less than 1 year | 13 |
| Any care in facilities | 1 year | 37 |
Costs of Care
Below are some national average costs for long-term care in the United States (in 2016). Average costs for specific states are also available.
- $225 a day or $6,844 per month for a semi-private room in a nursing home
- $253 a day or $7,698 per month for a private room in a nursing home
- $119 a day or $3,628 per month for care in an assisted living facility (for a one-bedroom unit)
- $20.50 an hour for a health aide
- $20 an hour for homemaker services
- $68 per day for services in an adult day health care center
Long-term care costs depend on the type and duration of care you need, the provider you use, and where you live. Costs can be affected by certain factors, such as:
- Time of day. Home health and home care services, provided in two-to-four-hour blocks of time referred to as “visits,” are generally more expensive in the evening, on weekends, and on holidays
- Extra charges for services provided beyond the basic room, food and housekeeping charges at facilities, although some may have “all inclusive” fees.
- Variable rates in some community programs, such as adult day service, are provided at a per-day rate, but can be more based on extra events and activities
