trevor tompson ltc poll

The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

LONG-TERM CARE:Perceptions, Experiences,

and Attitudes amongAmericans 40 or Older

A poll by the AP-NORC Center for

Public Affairs Research

Presented by Trevor Tompson

Director AP-NORC Center


Overview

• The AP-NORC Center

• The Long Term Care (LTC) poll

• Attitudes on aging and LTC

• LTC planning behavior

• Awareness of the costs of care

About the AP-NORC Center

• Combines NORC’s power of objective research with the top tier reporting of the AP

• Provides information and analysis of key issues of the day

• Advances the field of research-based journalism


• Measures awareness, planning behaviors, and policy

opinions on LTC issues.

• 1,019 interviews with adults 40 years and older

• Fielded February 21 through March 27, 2013

• Funded by The SCAN Foundation



3 in 10 don’t want to think about aging

Would rather not thinking about getting older

30%

Somewhat comfortable thinking about aging

32%

Very comfortable thinking about getting older

35%


Many worry about losing independence

• Americans 40 years or older are concerned about:

– Losing independence (52%)

– Losing memories or other mental abilities (51%).

– Being able to pay for the care or help as they age (44%)

– Having to move to a nursing home (42%)

– Being a burden on family (41%)

– Leaving debts to family (32%)

– Being alone without family or friends around them (33%)


Perceptions of who requires LTC

Only seriously ill or with severe mobility problems

16

People who have moderate or serious illnesses or mobil-

ity problems33

Just about everyone, even if they do not become seriously

ill48

Don't Know/Refuse3


Nearly a third believe they won’t need LTC• 24% believe that it is extremely or very likely that they personally will

require long-term care someday– 41% think it is somewhat likely

– 32% think it is not too likely or not at all likely.

• 34% believe that it is at least very likely that an aging family member

or close friend will require long-term care in the next 5 years – 32% think it is somewhat likely

– 33% think it is not too likely or not at all likely

• Among those who believe a family member or friend is at least

somewhat likely to require long-term care in the next 5 years:– 33% think they will be personally responsible for providing that care,

– 54% think someone else will provide that care

– 9% volunteered a response that it will be some combination of the two


What Americans are doing to plan for aging

Created advanced directive

Discussed LTC with family

Set aside money for LTC

Looked up info on LTC

Modified your home for aging

Moved place for older adults

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

% Yes


People frequently misperceive the costs of LTCBest guess of the national average monthly cost of…

% under-estimate

% correctly estimate

% over-estimate

Nursing home 58 24 14

Assisted living facility

31 29 36

Part-time home healthcare aide 14 30 52


Significant numbers overestimate services Medicare will cover

Percent who believe Medicare pays for…

• 44% ongoing care at home by a licensed

home healthcare aide

• 37% ongoing care in a nursing home

• 71% medical equipment, which is true so

long as the equipment is deemed medically

necessary and prescribed by a physician

Thank you!Full study report and topline survey data, as well as AP coverage of the survey findings are available at www.apnorc.org.

Public use data file forthcoming November 2013.

© 2013 The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research

http://www.apnorc.org/

trevor tompson ltc poll

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