Survey: Many Californians Not Ready for Long-Term Care Costs
Two-thirds of California voters older than age 40 say they are worried about the potential costs of long-term care, according to a new poll released Tuesday by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the SCAN Foundation, the Los Angeles Times' "Booster Shots" reports (Dennis, "Booster Shots," Los Angeles Times, 4/21).
According to HHS, at least 70% of U.S. residents ages 65 and older will need long-term care services at some point and more than 40% will need nursing home care for at least a short period of time.
In California, nursing home care costs an average of $6,000 per month. Part-time, in-home care costs about $1,700 per month.
Survey Details
Researchers surveyed 1,200 registered voters ages 40 and older and found that:
- 57% of respondents said that they could not afford more than three months of in-home care; and
- One-third of respondents said they could not afford one month of in-home care (Ferriss, "Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 4/21).
They also found that only 15% percent of respondents reported having long-term care insurance (Payers & Providers, 4/22).
In addition, the survey found that respondents of all income levels reported concerns over long-term care costs. About 63% of respondents with annual incomes of $75,000 or higher expressed anxiety about the costs of care.
Political Affiliation
Researchers also noted that concerns over long-term care costs spanned the political spectrum. The survey found that:
- Thirty-eight percent of Democrats, 35% of Republicans and 26% of independents say they could not pay for one month of in-home care; and
- Forty-eight percent of Democrats, 43% of Republicans and 33% of independents said they could not pay for one month of nursing home care ("Capitol Alert," Sacramento Bee, 4/21).
Prioritizing Long-Term Care Costs
The survey found that 66% of all respondents said elected leaders should prioritize efforts to provide affordable long-term care options.
About 76% of Democrats agreed that affordable long-term care should be a priority, compared with 50% of Republicans (Payers & Providers, 4/22).
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