What is "long term care?"

Long term care is defined as any type of extended personal care, and can range from help with day-to-day activities (such as bathing, dressing and grooming) to skilled nursing care. People with physical limitations often need “hands on” or “stand by" assistance. Those with memory problems generally need supervision, protection or verbal reminders to perform daily activities.

Long term care is different from acute (or short term) care. Under federal guideline, long term care is in effect if a licensed health care professional – a doctor, nurse or Master’s level medical social worker – indicates that a person will require extended assistance for an anticipated period of 90 days or longer.

What is "skilled care?"

Skilled care is any service performed by a licensed health care professional, such as a registered nurse or physical therapist. Neither a certified nursing assistant (CNA) nor a therapy assistant, such as a physical therapy assistant, is considered a skilled provider.

Why should I consider long term care insurance?

Thanks to modern medical technology and growing health consciousness, people are living longer than ever before. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, even though we may remain mentally intact, our bodies begin to wear out. Eventually, physical assistance becomes a necessity for safety’s sake.

What is the best age to purchase long term care insurance?

That’s a tough question. Long term care is an issue that does not apply just to the elderly. An illness or accident that necessitates long term care can strike at any age. In fact, 40% of those receiving extended care services today are between the ages of 18 and 64.

As a rule of thumb, however, people should seriously begin considering the purchase of coverage at around age 40. Why? Because, once an individual reaches the age of 40, each decade brings on a new set of potential health problems. Health problems become even more common after age 50.

The longer you wait to purchase insurance protection against the expense of long term care, the more likely you are to be affected by a health condition that may render you ineligible for coverage. (See the next column for more age and health information.)

More Questions and Answers...

According to 2001 Newsweek articles, 43% of people in the 45-60 age group will experience health problems that affect them or their spouses. More than half of the individuals in this age group will have some need for a caregiver.

Cancer strikes 40% of these individuals and a third of all strokes occur in people under the age of 65.

The average age of diagnosis for Parkinson’s Disease is 57 and, by the age of 62, one of every hundred people is diagnosed with this incurable disease.

Those who reach age 50 experience a one in five chance of being affected by a severe disability before they reach age 65.

By 2030, 52% of our population will be 65 or older. Arthritis affects over half of Americans over age 64 and high blood pressure affects more than a third.

After Alzheimer’s Disease is diagnosed, most patients live between 3 and 20 years, with 10 years the average.

Almost half the people who reach the age of 85 will have some form of dementia -- and octogenerians (those 80 years of age and older) are the fastest growing segment of our society today.

Remember that rule of thumb about beginning to plan for long term care around age 40? Planning should begin while you are healthy and better able to qualify for coverage.