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National Long-term Care Awareness Month

November is National Long-term Care Awareness Month. Long-term care prioritizes an individual's safety, independence and health care needs by providing supports in a variety of settings. Care in this setting can be short-term or longer term depending on the level of support and rehabilitation needed.

Types of long-term care and access

Long-term care is broader than nursing facilities. Adult day centers, assisted and independent living facilities, in-home, hospice and custodial care services are a few settings where this type of care takes place. Caregivers and other skilled professionals assist individuals with activities of daily living, such as clothing, bathing, and cooking.

The decision for someone to move from their home into a facility for long-term care is complicated and often difficult. As loved ones age, some families may opt to care for them in the individual’s own home or in the caregiver's home. In situations like this, home and community-based services are available that can be provided, such as home health care, personal attendant care, and housekeeping services. However, other circumstances may necessitate the move to facility-based care. For example, the layout of the home may not be conducive for in-home care. Financial responsibilities can impact one's employment and ability to care for someone full time. Aging individuals with specialized care needs may require more care than family caregivers can provide. It’s at this point that many families face the prospect of moving their loved one into a nursing or skilled nursing facility. There are also several barriers to finding appropriate long-term care including lack of access to quality care, staff with appropriate training and competency, medical care integration, and elder abuse and neglect.

Demographics and barriers

Research shows about 70% of individuals aged 65 and older will require long-term care at some point in their life. As of 2020, Hoosiers who were 65 years or older made up nearly 17% of the total population in Indiana. The demographic is expected to rise dramatically to more than 1.5 million Hoosiers by 2050. Despite this anticipated growth, an October 2023 AARP report found Indiana ranked 27th in the nation in terms of quality of long-term care services, which assesses affordability and access, safety, quality, choice of setting and provider, caregiver support, and community integration. Furthermore, a new report from the National Council on Aging shows 80% of aging adults in the U.S. are not prepared for the rising costs of health and long-term care. On average, Americans spend more than $475 billion annually on long-term care while Medicaid only covers about 42% of those costs.

In addition to lack of quality and affordable long-term care, a variety of other risk factors also affect the health and quality-of-life outcomes for aging individuals. These factors include:

  • Income and economic mobility
  • Social isolation and loneliness
  • Completing applications and forms required for needed healthcare and other services
  • Lack of transportation options and accessibility issues

Call to action

Learn more about Indiana alternatives to nursing facility placement programs:

Some ways you can make a difference in the lives of older adults include:

  • Volunteer with Meals on Wheels to deliver meals and pantry boxes to home-bound seniors.
  • Volunteer at a nearby assisted living or nursing facility.
  • Engage with your local INconnect Alliance member.

Resources