Americans reaching the age of 65 have a 70 percent chance of requiring long-term care.*

With more than 10,000 people in the United States turning 65 each day, the importance of long-term care availability and planning has never been more important.

 *U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; ** Pew Research Center

Long-term care refers to a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people who, because of age, illness or other circumstances, require assistance caring for themselves for extended periods of time (typically greater than 30 days). Because Americans have begun living longer, healthier and more independent lives, many different forms of long-term care services have evolved to support the needs of a broad range of consumers with varying levels of health and functional status.

Today’s long-term care includes both medical, facility-based care (such as skilled nursing facilities) as well as in-home care, assisted living, rehabilitative care and a host of related services that aim to help residents maintain their independence and quality of life. Care needs can change over the course of time, so many long-term care settings work together to ensure smooth transitions for patients who require either upgrades or downgrades in their level of care.