Are you at risk of needing long-term care in California?

You, like many other individuals, may try to live a healthy lifestyle. However, unexpected health issues could affect anyone, and try as you might, you could still face health concerns at some point in your life. This predicament could prove especially difficult to handle if the problems occur later in life, and you end up needing long-term care. Though you undoubtedly hope to get the care you need at whatever age you may need it, handling the expenses of long-term care as an elderly individual can cause issues.

Rather than waiting until the need for such care lands in your lap, you may wish to take proactive steps to prepare for the costs associated with a nursing home stay or other method of extended care. Knowing your likelihood of suffering an incapacitating illness or injury may also help you plan ahead.

Age factors

When many individuals think of long-term care, they may first imagine that the issue concerns elderly people. True, 70 percent of parties who have reached age 65 will likely need long-term care in some capacity. While older individuals do face a higher chance of needing care, you may also want to remember that a sudden illness or injury at any age could present the same need.

Pre-existing disabilities

Though numerous people with disabilities have the ability to carry out many of their daily needs on their own, the older those individuals get, the more difficult it may become to attend to their own care. In many cases, a pre-existing disability may result in long-term care needs later in life. Additionally, if a family member cares for a disabled loved one, professional care may prove necessary if the family member no longer has the ability to provide care.

Health conditions

In a similar vein to having a disability, people with other health issues could also find themselves needing nursing home accommodations or other professional care. As individuals age, health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure could contribute to more debilitating problems later on. Your family’s medical history could also play a role in your likelihood of developing chronic health issues.

Planning ahead

If you face any of these or other risk factors, it may prove especially important to plan for possible long-term care. Even if you feel relatively healthy now, unexpected events could cause issues later in life. Therefore, you may wish to explore your planning options.

Conferring with an experienced California attorney could allow you to gain reliable information on such options. This legal professional could help you determine which methods for addressing costs and specific care may work best for you.