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What is Long Term Care?
Long Term Care is commonly defined as “care provided to individuals, either in their own home, in community settings or in residential care homes (with or without nursing)”. This care is provided by either family or professional carers that help with everyday activities such as bathing, eating and dressing usually necessitated because of chronic illness, disability or frailty.
There are basically 4 different types of long term care that people may need: -
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Domiciliary Care
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Intermediate Care
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Continuing NHS Health Care
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Residential Care Home (with or without nursing)
In an ideal world, we would all hope that we are able to enjoy our retirement to the full and that we will remain fit and healthy; retaining our independence and dignity, whilst being able to remain in our own home until the very end, without any need for long term care.
Unfortunately the reality is that every day more than 100 people enter care and with the annual fees ranging from £25,000 to £35,000, the costs can be extremely high. There is also the uncertainty of not knowing how long care will be required for* (*source – Laing & Buisson Care of Elderly People UK Market Survey 2009).
Due to advances in medical and healthcare services, we are all living longer. This will inevitably lead to an increased demand in adult social care.
Local Authorities are experiencing reductions in their budgets and inevitably this will affect the funding for and level of care available to the elderly together with the range of services and options provided. Increasing media covering has highlighted many of the fears and concerns that standards will fall as a result of budget cuts.
The cost of providing residential care to the elderly is substantial and rising. In the past 20 years, the number of people aged over 85 has doubled. This figure is expected to double again by 2033¹
(¹Office of National Statistics, 2010 – Ageing: fastest increase in the “oldest old”).
Projections for the number of people aged 100 are particularly alarming. There are currently around 10,000 people in Britain over the age of 100. Based on current trends, that figure will have risen to over £1million people by 2070²
(² The Kings Fund, 2006 – Securing Good Care for Older People).
To find out more about the different types of long term care and their respective financial implications,
call us on 01992 500800 or complete our Enquiry Form.
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