Study examines trends in long-term health care and utilization of associated support services

Dec 4 2009

American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (www.AALTCI.org) and Homewatch CareGivers, the largest, most experienced international provider of home care for people of all ages (www.HomewatchCareGivers.com), teamed up to conduct a study examining trends in long-term health care and the utilization of associated support services. Among the conclusions of the study is the dramatic growth of people receiving support care at home and the significantly greater percentage of those with long-term care insurance who are able to receive home-based care and stay in the their homes longer.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, approximately 7.5 million individuals currently receive long-term care at home because of an acute illness, long-term health condition, a permanent disability, or terminal illness. That compares to only 1.5 million in nursing homes and 1.1 million in assisted-living facilities who receive similar care for the same types of conditions. That means nearly three times more people are receiving care at home rather than in a residential facility.

"Most people incorrectly associate long-term health care with skilled nursing care in a facility when the vast majority of care takes place at home," explains Jesse Slome, Executive Director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. “It is clear that the people in today’s society prefer treatment for chronic conditions and issues related to aging in their own home rather than in a residential facility.”

"When possible, home is almost always the preferred setting for people who require care," says Leann Reynolds, president of Homewatch CareGivers. “This has been a clear and growing trend for more than a decade, as more and better home services have become available. The vast majority of people want to receive support care in their homes in order to maintain independence and quality of life for as long as possible.”

One aspect of the study sought to compare individuals with long-term care insurance policies with those without insurance coverage. According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, 8.25 million individuals presently have coverage and more than 180,000 policyholders are currently receiving benefits. The study clearly indicated that individuals with long-term care insurance receive significantly more home care, and thus can stay in their homes longer. The difference between the insured and uninsured is significant: 70.6% of those covered received an average of between five and seven days of care each week, while only 35.1% of those without insurance received similar care as often.

Possessing insurance to pay part or all of the cost of home care services enabled individuals to receive care at home for longer periods of time. The study found that 41.2% of those with insurance received care for longer than one year; compared to 29.7% of those without coverage.

"The study confirms what we've long suspected, that a basic long-term care insurance plan costing less than $1,000 a year may provide sufficient coverage for those who want care at home and still have the ability to transition to more costly skilled facilities should the need arise," adds Slome.

According to the Urban Institute, a nonprofit founded in 1968 that conducts research on social and economic issues to foster sound public policy, 21.3 percent of the frail older population receives paid home care services and it projects this will increase to 22.3 percent by 2030 and 25.5% by 2040.

"It is vitally important for individuals to recognize the increased likelihood of needing care at some point in their lives, and to plan for that inevitability," concludes Reynolds. “Having sufficient financial resources or the protection of long-term care insurance are the prime factors for all of us who want to stay in our homes and receive care for as long as possible.”

http://www.homewatchcaregivers.com/