Archives for November 2021

National Long-Term Care Awareness Month is an annual designation observed in November. Did you know that 70% of men and women over the age of 65 will need some kind of long-term care service? This kind of care can be very expensive and can take a toll on the family as they try to figure out payment, roles of family members, and other logistics of making long-term decisions for a loved one. When taking care of someone long-term, it usually means feeding them, helping with personal care, bathing them, and helping with other daily tasks. Let’s come together to recognize National Long-Term Care Awareness Month and show support to those giving and receiving long-term care. Here’s a list of statistics surrounding long-term care in the United States.

• 78% of adults who are getting long-term care at home rely solely on family and friends for their assistance
• The average caregiver is a woman around 46 years of age
• On average, the caregiver spends about 21 hours per week assisting their patient or family member
• Over 90% of family caregivers had to alter their work schedule permanently because of caring for their loved one
• Around 40% of caregivers have had to switch from working full-time to part time
• Close to half said they had to skip vacation and other personal activities in order to take adequate care of their loved one
• 29% had to use their own money to provide care
• More than 10% had to move in order to be closer to their family member in need of care
• Around 10% had to take a pay cut at their full-time job

The American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance found national Long-Term Care Awareness Month in 2001. Their goal is to get people to focus on long-term care awareness and have a plan ready for themselves as they are near age 65.