What Level of Long-Term Services and Supports Do Retirees Need?

The brief’s key findings are:
Many retirees are concerned about the risk of requiring substantial long-term care as they age, but the likelihood is unclear.
This analysis, using two decades of data from the Health and Retirement Study, classifies the severity of care needs, accounting for both intensity and duration.
The results suggest about one-fifth of retirees will need no support at all and about one-quarter will have severe needs, with the rest facing low to moderate needs.
The demographic patterns are as expected: those who are married, better educated, white, or in better health have more manageable needs.
Subsequent briefs will explore the resources available to meet care needs and the types of people most at risk of facing unmet needs.