Survey: One in Four U.S. Older Adults Needed Long-Term Care for Themselves or a Loved One In 2022

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This article was originally posted on Nexus Insights. Read the full article here.

Results

Twenty-four percent of U.S. adults ages 50 and older say they, or a loved one needed long-term care in the past year, according to a new, national survey.

According to the survey findings, most older adults said the process of selecting long-term care caused anxiety (53%) and frustration (52%), while few said they felt confident (23%), at peace (23%), or happy (14%) while making a choice.

Finally, the survey respondents said it was extremely important to have additional information about the cost of care and options to pay for it (69%) and the different types of long-term care services available (63%).

The findings illustrate the widespread need for information and guidance about long-term care services among an aging population and their caregivers, a need that experts say will grow exponentially in the future.

Background

Nexus Insights released a report earlier this year detailing the often frustrating and confusing process facing many older adults when making decisions about long-term care for themselves or a loved one. It called for a national long-term care navigation hub to help older adults discover and assess options, educate them on available support and funding, select and connect with the option that is best for them, and continuously evaluate their needs as health and financial statuses change. Navigation resources are needed immediately to support the aging Baby Boomer population, many of whom not only serve as caregivers to older parents but will soon need long-term care themselves.

Methodology

The poll was conducted between November 11 and 14, 2022, during a monthly Omnibus survey. It included 1,014 interviews with a nationally representative sample of adults age 50 and older (margin of error +/- 4.34 percent points). The AARP and NORC’s Foresight 50+ probability-based panel is designed to be representative of U.S. adults age 50 and older.