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What Is Long-Term Care
Long-term Care is the help people need when they lose some or all of their ability to perform the normal activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating or going to the bathroom. Long-term care ranges from custodial care to skilled nursing care for serious medical conditions.
People are living longer and dying slower often in need of high-cost medical; and custodial care. Most older people like to remain independent. But later in life -- especially in the 80s and 90s -- you or someone you know may begin needing long term care.
For many people, long-term care may mean a little help from family and friends or regular visits by a home health aide. For others who are frail or suffering from dementia, long-term care may involve mov- ing to a place where professional care is available 24 hours a day.
You may also choose to move to a place where care is available:
Assisted Living: Arrangements are available in large apartment or hotel-like buildings.
Board and Care: Homes set up for a small number of people in a “home” setting. You may have a private or semi-private bedroom and share all the other living areas with the other residents.
Different levels of care are offered, but often services include meals, recreation, security and help with bathing, dressing, medication and housekeeping. These services are not covered by federally-funded programs.
Keep in mind, that family members making their first placement decision look for availability of a private bedroom and bath as the most important factor. However, family members questioned at time of discharge, agreed that the most important criteria was the ability of the facility to adapt to changing care needs in order to avoid the need for a transfer.*
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