What does LTC mean to me?

In simple terms long term care means to me providing care to an individual over a period of time that is longer then the normal time set a normal individual would need. Long term care does not necessarily mean it is only for the elderly population but for any individual that needs assistance with activities of daily living. Providing medical care and assistance with their ADL's is not all that long term is care either. Providing care to meet the emotional needs of the individual is just as important.

As the product of baby boomer parents and a husband who has deployed several times long term care is something that I do think about on a regular basis. I worry about how I would provide care to my loved ones if the case were to arise or how I would afford a long term facility for my loved one if one was needed. Complex long term policies and rising cost in care are troubling and make it all too easy for me to say it is something I will worry about later.

However, with the baby boomers entering the age of retirement the question of who will provide long term care for some of these individuals as they get older is a perplexing one. Cost is obviously one of the fore front issues regarding long term care but so is the availability of long term care resources. As a society great strides need to be made to meet the needs of the aging baby boomer population and the long term care needs some of them will need in the near future. I am not referring to building a ton of nursing homes but more instead of researching more inventive ways to provide long term care to the aging population. More of a focus on assisted living centers so that an individual can still feel a sense of independence and empowerment is one means of long term care.


Long term care is something that will touch almost everyone's life in one way or another whether it is needing care yourself or having a loved one who needs care. Being an informed individual is the best way to arm yourself.