Who Needs Long Term Care?

Long Term Care Advisors

Long Term Care Insurance Specialists

​What is Long-Term Care?
Long-term care involves many services designed to meet a person’s health or personal care necessities during a short or long period of time. These services help live as independently and safely as possible when they can no longer perform day to day activities on their own.
 
Long-term care is provided in multiple different places and by different providers, depending on an individuals needs. Most long-term care is provided at home by and “unpaid: family member or friend. It can also be given in a nursing home or in assisted living.
 
What does Long-Term Care include?
The most common long-term care is personal care, which aids in activities of daily living. Some examples include, bathing, dressing, grooming, using the toilet, eating, and moving around the living quarters. Long-term care also includes community services such as meals, adult day care and transportation services.
Individuals that often need long-term care are those that have serious ongoing health conditions or disabilities. The need for long-term care can arise suddenly, such as after a heart attack or stroke. Most commonly it develops gradually as people get older or as an illness or disability gets worse.
Who needs Long-Term Care?
It is hard to predict how much or what type of long-term care a person might need. Several things increase the risk of needing long-term care:

• Age. The risk generally increases as people get older.
• Gender. Women are at higher risk than men, typically because they often live longer.
• Marital Status. Single individuals are more likely to need care from a paid provider than married individuals.
• Lifestyle. Poor diet and exercise habits can increase a person’s risk.
• Health and family history. These also affect an individual’s risk.

 
Long-Term Care Planning
You can never know for sure if you will need long-term care, and maybe you will never need it. But an unexpected accident, illness or injury could change your needs in an instant. The best time to think about long-term care is before you need it. Planning for the possibility of long-term care give you time to learn about the service your community offers and the cost. It also allows you to make decisions while you are still able to.
 
Talk with your family, friends, and lawyer about who would provide care if you needed help for a long time.
You might delay or prevent the need for long-term care by staying healthy and independent. Speak with your doctor about your medical and family history and your lifestyle. He or she may suggest steps for you to take to improve your health such as healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, not using tobacco, and limited drinking of alcohol.
 
There are so many factors to Long-Term Care. For more questions feel free to give Missouri River Associates a call and ask us about our Long-Term Care options.
 
Julie Fischer
mra2@iw.net
605-665-6885
 
Michael Koranda
mra8@vastbb.net
605-665-6885
 
 

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