Last year the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued a report about Americans’ concerns and actions related to long-term care (LTC), also referred to as long-term services and supports (LTSS).
In the HHS survey, 15,298 non-institutionalized Americans aged 40-70, a statistically-significant sample of the age group, answered seven questions about long-term care personal concerns and ten questions about long-term care actions.
CONCERNS: What is your degree of concern about:
— Losing independence
— Being a burden on your family
— Losing control and choice over LTC you might need
— Being unable to afford high-quality care
— Using up savings/income to pay for nursing home care/services
— Becoming poor and having to rely on Medicaid
— Being unable to depend on family/friends for care.
ACTIONS: What is your degree of willingness to:
— Have family/friend move in
— Move in with children/family/friend
— Rely on spouse/family/friend
— Attend adult day care
— Hire aide or agency for care
— Hire live-in caregiver
— Move into assisted living facility
— Move into nursing home
— Make modifications to home
— Use value in home to pay for care.
Key Findings:
— More than 75% of respondents said they had at least five of the seven personal concerns.
— High on the list were losing independence and being unable to depend on family or friends for care.
— Personal concerns varied little by wealth or age.
— Of the ten actions, most respondents expressed willingness to modify their homes or have a family member or friend move in.
— But fewer than 50% were willing to move in with family/friends or use the value in their home to pay for care.
— The wealthier respondents were more willing to take actions that cost money, such as secure long-term care insurance or tap savings to pay for in-home care.
The report concludes, “These findings highlight the need for increased education on the … choices and financing options.”
Related Coverage
- Sunshine Health Offers Comprehensive Medicaid, Long-Term Care, And Child Welfare Services Across Florida
- Top Financial Concern Among Americans is the Cost of Healthcare
- Long-Term Care: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
For more reporting on this topic, see our Senior Care news hub.