Key points
- About 70% of people turning 65 will need some long-term care (ACL).
- 63 million Americans, nearly 1 in 4 adults, were family caregivers in 2025 (AARP).
- Medicare doesn’t pay for most long-term care (Medicare.gov).
- This month, a free 30-minute Family Care Plan Review compares all three coverage types for you.
November is Long-Term Care Awareness Month. It’s also National Family Caregivers Month. The two belong together, because when there’s no long-term care plan, family usually becomes the plan.
Why the two months belong together
About 70% of people turning 65 will need some type of long-term care, and the average need is about three years (ACL). Medicare doesn’t pay for most of it. When there’s no plan, the care usually comes from a spouse, a daughter or a son.
In 2025, 63 million Americans, nearly 1 in 4 adults, were family caregivers (AARP). Many are juggling jobs and children of their own.
What a plan does for your family
A long-term care plan isn’t only about money. It’s about giving the people you love a choice: to be family, not your full-time caregiver.
- Choices about where you get care, at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home
- Protection for savings and the home from years of care costs
- Less pressure on the people you love, and fewer decisions made in a hospital hallway
Three ways to fund it
- Traditional long-term care insurance: pays a daily or monthly benefit once you need help with daily activities. Often the most coverage for the premium for healthy applicants.
- Hybrid life/LTC: life insurance with a long-term care benefit. If you never need care, the death benefit goes to your family.
- Annuity care: a deferred annuity paired with care benefits that can be larger than the deposit, often funded from existing savings.
Our guide to how long-term care insurance works explains each one.
What it costs
As one benchmark, in 2026 a couple both age 55 paid an average of about $5,010 a year combined for $165,000 in initial benefits each (AALTCI). Prices for nearly identical coverage also vary widely between insurers, which is why comparing matters.
Your free Family Care Plan Review
During Long-Term Care Awareness Month, we’re offering a free 30-minute Family Care Plan Review. A licensed specialist compares traditional, hybrid and annuity-based coverage side by side for your age, health and budget. There’s no obligation, and the request form takes about two minutes.
You’ll talk with a team led by George A. Mellendorf, CLTC, who has spent more than four decades in long-term care insurance. Read his story.
Common questions
When is Long-Term Care Awareness Month?
November. It’s also National Family Caregivers Month.
How many people will need long-term care?
About 70% of people turning 65 will need some type of long-term care, for about three years on average.
What is a Family Care Plan Review?
A free 30-minute conversation with a licensed long-term care specialist who compares traditional, hybrid and annuity-based coverage for your age, health and budget. There’s no obligation.
Sources
- Administration for Community Living: How much care will you need? — acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-will-you-need
- AARP and NAC: Caregiving in the U.S. 2025 — www.aarp.org/press/releases/2025-07-24-new-report-reveals-crisis-point-for-ameri
- Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage — www.medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care
- American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance: 2026 Long-Term Care Insurance Price Index — www.aaltci.org/2026-AALTCI-Long-Term-Care-Insurance-Price-Index
Educational content only; not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules can change; confirm current details before you act.
Funding LTC Marketplace is operated by Central States Insurance Services, Inc., Ft. Myers, FL. George A. Mellendorf, CLTC, Florida licensed insurance agent, License # A175981, NPN # 538220. Verify at licenseesearch.fldfs.com/Licensee/211790. This is not an offer of insurance. Coverage, rates, and eligibility are determined by the issuing carrier through underwriting. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.