Long-term care is a variety of services that includes medical and non-medical care to people who have a chronic illness or disability. Long-term care helps meet health or personal needs. Most long-term care is to assist people with support services such as activities of daily living like dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom.

Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living or in nursing homes. It is important to remember that you may need long-term care at any age.

60 percent of people over age 65 will require some long-term care services at some point in their lives. And, contrary to what many people believe, Medicare and private health insurance programs do not pay for the majority of long-term care services that most people need - help with personal care such as dressing or using the bathroom independently.

Planning is essential for you to be able to get the care you might need. Long-term-care insurance is designed to protect your accumulated assets from the cost of the care. The probability of the purchaser needing long-term health care at some time in the future is fifty percent. Needing long-term health care is not rare. It is virtually guaranteed.