Few plan for care in old age
We're in denial: Americans underestimate their chances of needing long-term care in old age, and are few are taking steps to get ready.
A new poll of people 40 and over found two-thirds of respondents said they'd done little to no planning.
Only a quarter predicted they would likely personally need help getting around or caring for themselves as they age, according to the poll by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
That's a surprise, considering more than half said they already had been caregivers for an impaired relative or friend.
The poll found most people expect family to step up if they need long-term care, even though most haven't talked with loved ones about the possibility.
There were also misperceptions about costs. Nearly 60 percent of respondents underestimated nursing home costs, which average more than $6,700 a month.
Medicare doesn't pay for the most common types of long-term care. Yet 37 percent thought it would pay for a nursing home or home health aide. - AP
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