Long-Term Care Awareness Month
Do you know what long-term care is? Or how you will pay for it, should you need it?
Most people don’t know. That’s why November marks Long-Term Care (LTC) Awareness Month, to raise awareness about the need for LTC planning and the impact it can have on people’s lives. The U.S. Congress has recognized LTC Awareness Month since 1991.
Long-term care is any kind of service a person might need if they become unable to care for themselves, due to illness, disability or Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. About 70 percent of people turning 65 can expect to require some form of long-term care during their lives, according to LongTermCare.gov.
Even though many will eventually need it, most people don’t understand what long-term care is – or how they will pay for it. Long-term care may include ongoing medical care on a long-term basis, or care for those who require help with activities of daily living (ADLs) – bathing, dressing, personal care, housekeeping or preparing meals. Long-term care services may include a nursing home or assisted living community, in-home nursing care or nonmedical care, or an adult day care center.
Long-term care is expensive. When it’s needed, long-term care insurance can be a lifesaver. But it does take advance planning.
If you do have long-term care insurance, it’s important to understand when your policy kicks in, what it covers (and doesn’t cover) and how the claims process works.
Our clients and their family members often call on us at Cambridge Caregivers to help them understand their coverage and to navigate the claims process. We’re glad to help.
Drawing from our experience, we’ve also prepared a White Paper to cover some of the basics of long-term care insurance. Download our White Paper, Long-Term Care: Expert Insights, to learn more.
