Poll: Aging US in denial about long-term care need
(AP)—A new poll finds that Americans underestimate their chances of needing long-term care as they get older—and are taking few steps to get ready.
The poll examines how people 40 and over are preparing for this difficult and often pricey reality of aging. Two-thirds say they've done little to no planning.
In fact, 3 in 10 would rather not think about getting older at all. Only a quarter predict it's very likely that they'll need help getting around or caring for themselves during their senior years.
That's a surprise considering the poll found more than half of the 40-plus crowd already have been caregivers for an impaired relative or friend.
The poll was conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research with funding from the SCAN Foundation.
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