#1 – Women
Women are most likely to need extended care because they tend to live longer. Women live on average 5 years longer than men and tend to also suffer from chronic diseases that limit mobility versus men tend to have acute illnesses such as like a heart attack. Many married women tend to be caregivers. If you’re caring for your spouse, kids or grandkids, that takes a toll on your health. There are a lot of people in the sandwich generation that are doing both caring for a parent and caring for a child and that caregiving really takes a toll on health.
#2 – Single people
If you live alone and you don’t have a significant other, you can’t rely on any unpaid caregivers. The lack of in-home support puts you at greater risk of needing professional caregivers.
#3 – Health
If you have chronic diseases and you live an unhealthy lifestyle, that increases your chances of needing extended care. If you’re not sleeping and eating well, exercising, doing regular checkups with your doctor and monitoring your health, that can increases your chances of needing extended care.
#4 – Family history
Diseases that run in your family, specifically cognitive issues. If you have a parent or sibling that has Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Parkinson’s, etc, you are more at risk because of your genetics.
#5 – Elderly
As we age, we typically become less mobile, lose strength and flexibility, and so needing care becomes a reality of life.
The Bottom Line
Some of the reasons for needing extended care are out of your control but focus on what you can control like health choices and putting a plan in place before you need care. If you need help planning for LTC and want to discuss insurance options, we’re here to help.