Long-Term Care

As Americans live longer, more people will need long-term care. For many, it comes sooner—and costs more—than expected. From help at home to full-time skilled nursing care, the demands of aging are growing. The chance of needing care is rising, especially for women, who on average, live longer than men. It’s no longer a question of if, but how we’ll receive the care we may need in older age.

In this section, you can explore the world of long-term care: from the staggering costs of services to alternative options like adult day care and aging in place. You’ll also uncover the hidden toll that our long-term care system takes on family caregivers.

Planning for long-term care is not just about dollars — it’s about ensuring every chapter of life is lived with care and respect.

Will You Need Long-Term Care? And What’ll It Cost?

A healthy 65-year-old male has a 44% probability of needing some level of long-term care during his expected life span. For a woman, the odds are 56%.

Retirees, This Is What It Takes to Be Your Own Insurer

Last year, the national median annual cost of a home health aide was more than $61,000, a 12.5% increase from 2020, while a private room in a nursing home cost more than $108,000, an uptick of 2.4%.

Adult Day Care

Adult Day Care Centers are designed to provide care and companionship for older adults who need assistance or supervision during the day. Programs offer relief to family members and caregivers, allowing them to go to work, handle personal business, or just relax while knowing their relative is well cared for and safe.

Adult Day Services Can Be a Cost-Effective Option in Long-Term Care

The most cost-effective option in long-term care today.

Aging in Place: Growing Older at Home

These are common issues for older people. You may share the often-heard wish — “I want to stay in my own home!” The good news is that with the right help you might be able to do just that.

The Staggering, Exhausting, Invisible Costs of Caring for America’s Elderly

As millions “age in place,” millions more must figure out how to provide their loved ones with increasingly complex care.

Debt After Death: The Painful Blow of Medicaid Estate Recovery

A congressionally mandated system designed to recoup the costs of long-term care can hit people with the crushing prospect of losing a home, posing a particularly insidious threat for low-income families and people of color.

Getting Old Is a Crisis More and More Americans Can’t Afford

Growing old is an increasingly expensive privilege often requiring supports and services that, whether provided at home or in a facility, can overwhelm all but the wealthiest seniors.

Pandemic Highlights Need for Federal Long-Term Care Insurance

Most seniors simply can’t pay the average $100,000 a year for a nursing home, $50,000 for in-home care, or $45,000 for assisted living.

Nursing home owners drained cash while residents deteriorated, state filings suggest

As the U.S. government debates whether to require higher staffing levels at nursing homes, financial records show some owners routinely push profits to sister companies while residents are neglected.