Long-term care is more of an issue now then it ever was in the past due to our aging population. We are living much longer now than we ever did before. Along with living longer, our odds for needing long-term care may increase. Many times people wrongly assume that because no one in their family needed long-term care, they won't. What people forget is that in the past their family members probably didn't live long enough to require long-term care! As we live longer, our odds for needing long-term care increase.

"The 65+ age group is the fastest growing segment of the population on a percentage basis - with each calendar year that passes there is an increase of one million 65-year-olds in the U.S. This cross-section of the population tends to focus upon health concerns, estate planning, and survivorship issues. Long-term care coverage should be a vital component of their long-range planning." Conning's Industry Insight, Long Term Care Insurance, Issue #4, June 2002 "At least 6.4 million people aged 65 or older need long-term care, with one in two over the age of 85 requiring such care. It is estimated that 6% of all persons aged 65 and over are living in a nursing home. After the age of 85, half of us will need help with the ordinary activities of daily living (ADLs). About 1 in 10 individuals over 65 and almost half of those over 85 will get Alzheimer's disease." Planning for Long-Term Care, United Seniors Health Council, Washington, D.C. 2002