November is National Long-Term Care Awareness Month, and it shares the calendar with National Family Caregivers Month for good reason. Nearly every long-term care story is also a caregiver story. Earlier this week we wrote about the legal documents caregivers need. Today we step back to the bigger question: what is long-term care, and how likely is it that you or someone you love will need it?
What Long-Term Care Is, and Isn’t
Long-term care isn’t a single place or a single insurance policy. It’s ongoing help with everyday activities, such as bathing, dressing, eating, moving around the house, and managing medications, for someone who can no longer do those things safely on their own. It may be needed because of age, a chronic illness, a stroke, dementia, or a disability.
Care can happen in many settings:
At home, with family members, friends, paid aides, or a combination of these individuals.
Adult day programs, which provide care and activities during the day.
Assisted living, for people who need daily help but not round-the-clock nursing care.
Nursing homes, for people who need 24-hour care and supervision.
The Odds of Needing Long-Term Care are Higher Than Most People Think
According to the federal Administration for Community Living, someone turning 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care in their remaining years. Women tend to need care longer than men, and about one in five 65-year-olds will need care for more than five years.
What it Costs in Ohio
The numbers are sobering. According to CareScout’s 2025 Cost of Care Survey, the median annual cost in Ohio is:
Costs in Northeast Ohio are often higher than the statewide median. For most families, a multi-year need for care can consume savings that took a lifetime to build.
Planning Changes the Outcome
The families who fare best aren’t necessarily the wealthiest – they’re the ones who planned. That might mean long-term care insurance, a trust, Medicaid planning, or simply having the right documents in place so a trusted person can act quickly. The earlier you start, the more options you have.
To talk about your family’s situation, call McFadden Bushnell LLC at (216) 714-0090 or visit The McFadden Bushnell Website
Sources: Administration for Community Living; CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey, as reported by LeadingAge Ohio.