Older Americans puzzled by long term care programs, services

Herb Weiss
Posted 8/11/15

By HERB WEISS

Planning for your golden years is key to aging gracefully. But, according to a new national survey looking at experiences and attitudes, most aging Boomers and seniors do not feel …

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Older Americans puzzled by long term care programs, services

Posted

By HERB WEISS

Planning for your golden years is key to aging gracefully. But, according to a new national survey looking at experiences and attitudes, most aging Boomers and seniors do not feel prepared for planning or financing their long-term care for themselves or even their loved ones.

This Associated Press (AP)-NORC (NORC) Center for Public Affairs Research study, funded by The SCAN Foundation, explores a myriad of aging issues, including person-centered care experiences and the special challenges faced by the sandwich generation. These middle-aged adults juggle their time and stretching their dollars by providing care to their parents, even grandparents while also financially assisting their adult children and grandchildren.

The 21-page survey report, released July 9, is the third in an annual series of studies of Americans age 40 and older, examines older Americans understanding of long-term care, their perceptions and misperceptions regarding the cost and likelihood of requiring long-term care services, and their attitudes and behaviors regarding planning for possible future care needs.

The survey’s findings say 12 percent of Americans age 40 to 54 provide both financial support for their children and ongoing living assistance to other loved ones. Federal programs are often times confusing to these individuals, too. More than 25 percent are unsure whether Medicare pays for ongoing living assistance services like nursing homes and home health aides. About 1 in 4 older Americans also overestimate private health insurance coverage of nursing home care.

Researchers noted that about half of the respondents believe that a family member or close friend will need ongoing living assistance within the next five years. Of those who anticipate this need, seven out of 10 reports they do not feel very prepared to provide care, they note.

More than three quarters of those surveyed age 40 or older who are either receiving or providing ongoing living assistance indicate that their care includes at least one component of “person-centered care.” This approach allows individuals to take control of their own care by specifying preferences and outlining goals that will approve their quality of life.

The survey also finds that most of those reporting believe that features of “person-centered care” have improved the quality of care.

Paying for costly LTC Services

The 2015 survey findings are consistent with AP-NORC survey findings from previous years, that is older Americans continue to lack confidence in their ability to pay the costs of long term care (LTC) living assistance. Medium annual costs for nursing homes are $91,260; the cost for at-home health is about half that amount, $45,760, says the report.

Finally, only a third of the survey respondents say that they have set aside money for their care. More than half report doing little or no planning at all for their own ongoing living assistance needs in their later years.

“The three surveys on long-term care (by AP-NORC) are helping us create a comprehensive picture of what Americans 40 and older understand about the potential need for these critically important services,” said Director Trevor Tompson, at the AP-NORC Center in a statement. “Experts estimate that 7 in 10 Americans who reach the age of 65 will need some form of long-term care, and our findings show that many Americans are unprepared for this reality,” he says.

Dr. Bruce Chernof, president and CEO of The SCAN Foundation, says that the 2015 study takes a look at public perception regarding long-term care and most importantly, how people can plan for future long-term care needs. “The insight provided by this research is critical because it will help us promote affordable health care and support for daily living, which are essential to aging with dignity and independence.” he says.

AP-NORC’s 2015 study results are validated by other national research studies, says AARP Rhode Island State Director Kathleen Connell.

“AARP’s research, both nationally and state by state, reveals that people in the 50+ population are concerned about the cost of retirement and especially long term care,” she says, observing that “very few people seem worry free on this question and rightfully so.”

 

Beginning planning

Connell adds, “I would say our response to this survey is that it adds to the awareness that people need to start thinking about this at an earlier age. And that means not only focusing on saving but also getting serious about health and fitness.” 

What can a person do to better prepare for paying for costly long-term care and community based services? “AARP.org  has an abundance of information on long term care. There’s advice on long-term care insurance, a long-term care cost calculator and many other resources. We also need to remain strong as advocates for programs that support seniors. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid need to remain strong in order to support Americans entering the most vulnerable chapters of their lives,” she says. 

Amy Mendoza, spokes-person for the American Health Care Association (AHCA), a Washington, DC-based trade association that represents over 12,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers and homes for individuals with intellectual and development disabilities, calls for increased conversations to help planning for potential future need. “Given that the need for long term or post-acute care is a life changing event, it demands some considerable thought, discussion and research,” says Mendoza.

“AHCA’s “Care Conversations” program helps individuals have the honest and productive discussions needed to plan and prepare for the future long term care needs,” adds Mendoza. Care Conversations has a Planning Tools page on its website which provides information on advance directives. Learn more at: http://careconversations.org/planning-tools .

Todd Whatley, a certified elder law attorney, notes that some of his best clients are middle age adults who after taking care of their parents want to avoid costly nursing home or community based care services. “They are then suddenly very interested in some type of (insurance) coverage for the extraordinary expense of long term care when a year earlier, they had no interest whatsoever,” he says.

Whatley, President-Elect of the Tuscan, Arizona-based National Elder Law Foundation, suggests contacting a financial planner or Certified Elder Law Attorney when purchasing long term care insurance, “Get early advice from someone with their best interest at heart. There are many times that a person simply doesn’t need this product financially, but most people do

For a copy of the study, go to www.longtermcarepoll.

org/Pages/Polls/long-term-care-2015.aspx.

To locate a certified elder law attorney, contact Lori Barbee, Executive Director, National Elder Law Foundation. She can be reached at 520-881-1076 or by email Lori@nelf.org.

Herb Weiss, LRI ’12 is a Pawtucket-based writer covering aging, health care and medical issues. He can be reached at hweissri@aol.com.

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