What is long-term care?

As you age, you may have concerns about how to manage health problems. Most people would like to stay in their homes with help from someone they know, like a family member or friend.

But this isn't always possible. For many reasons, people may not have a family member or friend who can provide care.

This is where long-term care can help. It can give you a safe and structured environment.

Long-term care:

• Can be at home, in the community, or in a residence (such as a nursing home).
• Offers a range of services and supports.
• Can provide medical or nonmedical help.
• Meets personal needs, such as dressing, bathing, grooming, and help using the bathroom.
• Can help with everyday tasks, such as housework, making meals, and shopping.

You may consider long-term care when a health condition makes meeting health and personal needs hard to do on your own. For example, you may need long-term care because of:

• Stroke.
• Dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.
• Head injuries.
• Broken bones or problems after joint replacement surgeries.
• Frailty.

You may also consider long-term care when you are planning your future or when you have concerns about your future health or your ability to live on your own.

Choosing the right type of long-term care is a very personal process. It's important to look carefully at your options. You want to be sure that the level of care is right and that you will feel comfortable.

To get started, work with your doctor, social worker, hospital discharge planner, or geriatric care manager to help find which type of long-term care would be best. Then see which types of care are available in your community.

Make a list of the places that interest you, and visit them. A visit is the best way to see if the facility, the residents, and the staff feel right to you. It may be helpful to keep written notes about each one. You may want to visit each one more than once and bring along a family member or friend, if possible.

Talk things over with someone you trust, like your doctor or a family member. Did the facility feel right to you? Were you comfortable with the people there? Do you feel it will give you the right care? Does it fit within your budget? How much of the cost, if any, may be covered by insurance?

Each type of care center offers a different level of care. These centers may have shared or private rooms. Here are some examples.

An assisted living center or residential care center:

• Has a range of services. These may include meals, cleaning, and laundry. And they may offer help with personal needs like bathing, grooming, and dressing.
• Often includes oversight by a nurse. You may be able to get help with basic care, such as getting medicines.

A skilled nursing facility:

• Offers nursing care up to 24 hours a day.
• Provides meals and laundry.
• Provides help with dressing, bathing, using the toilet, and other daily tasks.
• Offers rehab therapy.

A long-term acute care hospital:

• Is for stroke patients who have special medical problems. This may include things like not being able to breathe on your own.