Long Term Care is basically defined as needing care in basic activities of daily living for at least 3 months or longer. The care is usually provided at home, assisted living centers, nursing homes, adult day care, or in Continuing Care Retirement Communities.

Some examples of the types of care needed usually include help with the following activities:

– Bathing, which may include stand-by assistance.
– Dressing
– Eating (being fed)
– Transferring
– Continence
– Toileting

The other major area of need is caused by dementia or Alzheimer’s, when the person is no longer safe to be alone. Long term care insurance benefits are triggered when care is needed for at least 2 of the 6 activities, or as a stand-alone trigger, they are unsafe to be alone due to cognitive issues.