WVU in the News: What are my long-term care options?
We were so confused.
My wife’s mother was going through medical issues that could potentially have left her needing long-term care. But we had never taken a hard look at our options if that happened. She lives 2,000 miles away, and we all had to start thinking about what the next steps would be if things did not go well with her. And we had no idea where to start.
Research from the Department of Health and Human Services suggests that more than half of Americans now turning 65 will need long-term care and services, and one in seven adults will have some kind of disability for more than five years. Infirmity, then, is predictable, and is, at least, something we should plan for.
But then there’s the cost. “People think they have an issue paying for a college education — wait ’til you see how much long-term care costs,” said Nicholas Castle, a professor in the School of Public Health at West Virginia University.