Sec. 2. Findings
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The Congress finds as follows: Long-term care facilities and senior congregate care homes provide direct and personalized care, where social distancing is not possible, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Assisted living, memory care, independent living, and other senior congregate care settings are the homes of America’s seniors and critical options on the long-term care continuum; these senior residences provide safety and security for our Nation’s most vulnerable population. Sixty percent of a senior’s health is based on social determinants of health which include the need for adequate nutrition, housing, and social activities; thus supporting caregivers and home- and community-based care models that prioritize the social determinants of senior health should be a priority of the Congress.
Investing in senior care and the caregiving workforce prevents hospitalization and skilled nursing expenses, preserving Medicare and Medicaid budgets. Since March of 2020, senior care facilities have lost over 380,000 caregivers and are experiencing a workforce crisis as America’s population rapidly ages. By 2030, the entire Baby Boomer Generation will be 65 years of age or older. By 2060, nearly 95 million Americans will be 65 years of age or older and the portion of the population over 85 years of age will have tripled to nearly 20 million persons.
Fifty-two percent of individuals require long-term care by age 65. Individuals over 65 years of age are 70 percent more likely to need long-term care, with half of those seniors requiring an even higher level of care. The average duration of long-term care is nearly 4 years, and 14 percent of individuals need long-term care for 5 or more years. Twenty-seven percent of seniors over 65 years of age will spend at least $100,000 on long-term care, and 15 percent will have costs for long-term care surpassing $250,000.
The average cost for long-term care for a 65-year old today is $138,000. Long-term care infrastructure must address the availability of cost-effective care and housing options to meet the growing needs of the Nation’s aging population. On average, assisted living costs $4,300 per month, which equals $5.91 per hour of available care (based on 24/7 care). Nursing homes cost $8,821 per month (or $13.13 per hour based on 24/7 care). In-home care costs $4,576 per month (or $26 per hour based on 44 hours per week care).
An individual 85 years of age or older is 630 percent more likely to die of COVID–19. Sixty-three percent of residents of long-term care facilities need assistance with bathing; 48 percent need assistance with dressing; and 40 percent need assistance with toileting. More than 42 percent of residents of long-term care facilities suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or some other form of dementia. The people of the United States are a compassionate people who are committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society, and we should not jeopardize the financial underpinnings of the long-term care communities our Nation’s senior citizens depend on day-in and day-out.