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Long Term Care |
What is Long Term Care?
Long term care is needed when a person becomes ill or suffers a disability that makes them unable to carry out their activities of daily living, with the probability that this disability will continue over the long term. More often than not, it is the elderly who require care over the longer term and it is typically occasioned by either increasing frailty due to ageing or the chronic aftermath of acute conditions such as a stroke or a fall.
Long Term Care can also be required if a person is mentally impaired. The most common form of impairment for elderly people is dementia, and a common form of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease. A person suffering from dementia will need personal supervision and assistance to carry out normal daily activities.
The care required can take many forms, from simple domestic assistance to medical interventions and may be provided in a care home or in the person's own home.
The long term nature of the care needed, and the fact the person is unlikely to recover (they have a chronic condition), is what distinguishes this situation from the conditions covered by Private Medical Insurance - which covers acute medical conditions (i.e. conditions from which a recovery is expected).
Many people would have hoped the National Health Service would look after them. They might have paid National Insurance contributions and taxes all their working lives, and recall the original intention of the Welfare State to care for people 'from cradle to grave'. But the NHS no longer covers all the costs associated with the care of incurable conditions in old age.
Who pays for Long Term Care?
One of the problems for the current generation of elderly people is that they were brought up believing that the State would look after them 'from cradle to grave.' This is not the case though, and as far as long term care costs are concerned, in general the State only pays for the least wealthy.
The provision of long term care outside hospitals has become the responsibility of individual Local Authorities and it is not free to everyone. However, all nursing care whether at home or via a care home should be provided free.(Information obtained from AXA.co.uk)
For more information and advice please contact us.
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