Will I Need Long-Term Care and Services?
Not everyone will need chronic care and support services. Learn more about your odds for such care and services.
About 70 percent of individuals over age 65 will require at least some type of supportive services during their lifetime. Over 40 percent will need the intensive-type care found in a nursing home or through a home aide. Factors that increase your risk of needing long-term care and supportive services are:
- Age - The odds of needing services generally increases as you get older.
- Marital Status - Single people are more likely to need care from an outside provider.
- Gender - Women are at a higher risk than men, primarily because they tend to live longer.
- Lifestyle - Poor diet and exercise habits can increase your needs for long-term care and supportive services.
- Genetic and Family Health History – these can significantly impact one’s need for long-term care and support services.
How Much Care Will I Need?
On average in the U.S., someone age 65 today will need some long-term care or support services for three years. Service and support needs vary from one person to the next and often change over time.
Women typically need care for longer (on average 3.7 years) than do men (on average 2.2 years) due to higher life expectancy. While about one-third of today's 65-year-olds may never need long-term care or support services, 20 percent of them will need services and/or care for more than five years and these could vary from at-home services to assisted living to nursing home care.