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Americans Need Better Information About LTC

Wed, 03/15/2000 - 1:00am — Karen Stevenson
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The Administration on Aging has posted the results of recent focus group research in a report called Voices of Women: Perceptions and Planning for Long Term Care Focus Groups. (Women were interviewed in this project because they are statistically most likely to be both the recipients and the givers of long term care.) The focus group participants had a strong aversion to the idea of a nursing home stay, but had little information about the services which would allow them to remain at home. They were generally shocked to find out that nursing home care costs $47,000 a year on average, and that Medicare doesn'™t pay for much of that cost. Baby Boomer participants had not given much thought to preparing for their own future needs, since they were focusing on the more immediate needs of college and retirement savings. The report concluded that government programs must continue to find ways to heighten awareness about long term care issues, make information easier to access, and provide incentives for people to plan ahead.

The Administration on Aging has posted the results of recent focus group research in a report called Voices of Women: Perceptions and Planning for Long Term Care Focus Groups. (Women were interviewed in this project because they are statistically most likely to be both the recipients and the givers of long term care.) The focus group participants had a strong aversion to the idea of a nursing home stay, but had little information about the services which would allow them to remain at home. They were generally shocked to find out that nursing home care costs $47,000 a year on average, and that Medicare doesn'™t pay for much of that cost. Baby Boomer participants had not given much thought to preparing for their own future needs, since they were focusing on the more immediate needs of college and retirement savings. The report concluded that government programs must continue to find ways to heighten awareness about long term care issues, make information easier to access, and provide incentives for people to plan ahead.