Since 2011, baby boomers have been turning 65 at an average rate of 10,000 per day. This will continue until 2030. And we are living longer. Fortunately, we are also healthier and more active than past generations.
But the reality, according to the Administration on Aging (AOA), is that “70% of people turning age 65 can expect to use some form of long-term care during their lives.” 35% will spend some time in a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home or assisted living community.
What is Long-Term Care?
Long-term care encompasses a wide range of supportive services used by people who need help to function in their daily lives.
Long-term care and services are those that help with the activities of daily living (ADLs), defined as self-care activities: getting dressed, toileting, bathing and showering, personal hygiene and grooming, eating, and functional mobility — as well as the instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs): managing finances, handling transportation, shopping, doing laundry, medication management, preparing meals, household and basic home maintenance, using the telephone and other communication devices.
The duration and level of care each person requires is as individual as the person needing the support. On average, a person will need three years of long-term care. Women will need services longer than men because they typically live longer. And 20% of older adults requiring long-term care services will need care for longer than 5 years.
Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS)
Most long-term care is not medical. It includes home- and community-based services (HCBS). These are the services and supports that provide assistance with daily activities that help older adults and people with disabilities to remain in their homes and communities.
Human services such as chore assistance, transportation, adult day services, senior centers, congregate meal sites, home-delivered meal programs such as Meals on Wheels, home repairs and modifications, home safety assessments, and personal care (dressing, bathing, toileting, transferring, eating) are all considered HCBS.
Adult Day Programs are often a great choice for families who chose to keep a loved one at home. Adult day programs offer life enrichment, social engagement, and an opportunity for caregiver respite, an often overlooked essential for caregiver health.
HCBS also include health services such as dietary management by a registered dietician, pharmacy services; occupational, speech, and physical therapy; durable medical equipment; health promotion and disease prevention; and information and referral services.
While most people would prefer to age-in-place in their own homes or apartments, this isn’t always feasible from a safety and/or financial perspective.
Caring for someone in their own home can be the most expensive option, especially if 24/7 care is required. This option works best if someone needs limited support. But as needs increase, so does cost. And because someone who may have a condition that limits mobility, this option can also be isolating.
Long-Term Care Residential Options
Assisted living, skilled nursing, adult family homes, and continuing care retirement communities are all long-term care housing options. Assisted living and skilled nursing sometimes include memory care, sometimes memory care is a stand-alone community.
Each housing option has pros and cons, and the best fit for a person needing the support is determined by several factors: level of care required, financial situation, understanding the person’s personality, preferences, and values, the quality of service available, and location (proximity to family and additional supports are the usual considerations).
Genworth Financial offers an annual Cost of Care Survey. From our experience, though, while the survey presents an average of monthly and annual costs for different housing types in the Seattle metro area, the costs reflected are lower than what we encounter when assisting our clients in finding the right housing option.
How Can an Aging Life Care Professional Help?
Aging Life Care Professionals (we are also known as geriatric Care Managers) provide a wide range of expert help and support. We understand aging and can help families navigate the course of chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. We can connect families and individuals with the best resources and supports.
We are experienced in working with complicated family dynamics. We also know how to work collaboratively with attorneys, financial planners, housing professionals and health care practitioners on behalf of our clients.
Sometimes clients meet one or two times with a care manager. Other clients need help on an ongoing basis. For those that need ongoing services, we can monitor care, make recommendations and adjustments in the plan of care. We make sure that everyone involved is moving in the same direction. Communication is the cornerstone of everything we do.
Overwhelmed by the options and now sure where to start?
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