According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 34 million unpaid caregivers throughout the United States provide care for an adult over the age of 18 who is ill or disabled. What’s more, these unpaid caretakers provide approximately 90% of all Long-Term Care. Most unpaid caretakers are family members. The impact of caregiving is substantial; about 37% of caregivers end up reducing work hours or quitting their jobs, 35% have difficulty finding time for themselves, 29% experience physical and emotional stress, and 29% have difficulty balancing work and family responsibilities. More than half of all caregivers report that they do not have time to take care of themselves and almost half report that they are too tired to do so. Furthermore, 67% of caregivers indicate that they put off going to the doctor because they put the needs of their families before their own needs.
These statistics illustrate that the burdensome effects of Long-Term Caregiving are quite common. It is likely that in the next several years, almost everyone will have a caregiver in their family, know someone who is a caregiver, or know someone who is receiving Long-Term Care. The costs of Long-Term Care are immense – financially, physically, and emotionally. Therefore, it is definitely worth taking the time to review your own plans for Long-Term Care. Not only do you have finances to consider, but you also should think about the type of care that you would prefer in different situations.
Many individuals believe that they must forfeit all of their assets in order to pay for quality Long-Term Care. Nothing could be further from the truth. Choosing and funding Long-Term Care at whatever level you need does not necessarily require you to sacrifice the assets that you have accumulated over a lifetime. At Elder Law Group PLLC we focus on Long-Term Care planning so that you can find the best care options and protect your assets. Call Elder Law Group, your Washington Long-Term Care planning attorneys at (509) 468-0551 and schedule an appointment with us today.
