The duration and level of long-term care will vary from person to person and often change over time. Here are some statistics (all are "on average") you should consider:
- Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and supports in their remaining years
- Women need care longer (3.7 years) than men (2.2 years)
- One-third of today's 65 year-olds may never need long-term care support, but 20 percent will need it for longer than 5 years
The table below shows that, overall, more people use long-term care services at home (and for longer) than in facilities.
| Type of care | Average number of years people use this type of care |
Percent of people who use this type of care (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Any Services | 3 years | 69 |
| At Home | ||
| Unpaid care only | 1 year | 59 |
| Paid care | Less than 1 year | 42 |
| Any care at home | 2 years | 65 |
| In Facilities | ||
| Nursing facilities | 1 year | 35 |
| Assisted living | Less than 1 year | 13 |
| Any care in facilities | 1 year | 37 |