What is Long Term Care?

Long term care is the term given to long term care provided to individuals either in their own home, in community settings or residential care homes, either by family or professional carers to help with everyday activities such as eating, bathing and dressing necessitated because of chronic illness, disability or frailty.

Our Hope

We all hope that our retirement will be a long and happy one and that we retain our health, independence and dignity in our own home until the very end, without any need for long term care.

The Reality

The reality is that

In England alone during 2008-9 an estimated 2.04 million contacts from new clients were made to local authorities. Source Community Care Statistics 2008-9 - www.ic.nhs.uk
In England alone there were 319,000 people in residential or nursing care of which only 22,000 were in local authority staffed care homes. Source: Community Care Statistics 2008-9 - www.ic.nhs.uk
Due to medical advances we are living longer. As we live longer it is more likely that due to frailty we will find it more difficult to do the basics in life.

This is supported by Government statistics which shows that although:-

In the UK, female life expectancy at birth has risen from 76.8 in 1981 to 81.5 in 2007. A rise of 5%, the corresponding number of years lived in poor health rose to 11.1 years up in from 10.1 in 1981 - a rise of 15 %
Male life expectancy rose during the same time from 70.9 in 1981 to 77.2 in 2007- a rise of 6.7%. The average number of years they might live in poor health rose to 8.8 years in 2007 compared with 6.5 in 1981 -a rise of 34 % !
source: Department of National Statistics 22nd July 2004 and Office of National Statistics Bulletin 24th Feb 2010

There are basically 4 distinct different types of long term care which people may need, these are :-

Domiciliary Care
Intermediate Care
Continuing NHS Health Care
Residential Care Home

To find out more about the different types of long term care and the financial implications of each, call us on 0800 970 4885 or complete an enquiry form.

Further information about long term care

Clicking on any of the following links will allow you to find out more about key information on long term care and paying for care.

Paying for care in England | Paying for care in Scotland | Paying for Care in Wales | NHS Continuing Care

Order a Free Brochure | Getting a Free Care Fees Annuity quote | Make an Appointment