Long-term care

Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care can include home-based care, assisted living, nursing homes, and adult day care.

Overview

Long-term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom.

Types of Long-term Care

There are several different types of long-term care, including:

• Home Care - This type of care is provided in the patient's home, often by a family member or a paid caregiver.
• Assisted Living - Assisted living facilities provide a combination of housing, personal care services, and health care designed to respond to individuals who need assistance with normal daily activities in a way that promotes maximum independence.
• Nursing Homes - These facilities provide a higher level of supervision and care than assisted living, including 24-hour nursing care.
• Adult Day Care - These programs provide health, social, and other support services in a supervised setting for adults who need some degree of help during the day.

Costs

The cost of long-term care depends on the type and duration of care you need, the provider you use, and where you live. Costs can be expensive, and most people use a variety of funding sources, including personal funds, government programs, and private financing options.

Planning for Long-term Care

Planning for long-term care is important because there is a good chance you will need some form of long-term care after age 65. Plus, the cost of long-term care can be high, and you generally have to pay for it yourself unless you have a long-term care insurance policy, or you qualify for Medicaid benefits.

See Also

• Health Care
• Elder Care
• Disability

References

Long-term care Resources
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