Meeting the Long-Term Care Needs of the Baby Boomers: How Changing Families will Affect Paid Helpers and Institutions

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Urban Institute
May 2007
Johnson, R.W., Toohey, D., and Wiener, J.M.

The demand for long-term care services will surge in coming decades when the baby boomers reach their 80s. Declining family sizes, increasing childlessness, and rising divorce rates will limit the number of family caregivers. Rising female employment rates may further reduce the availability of family care, increasing the future need for paid home care. This study projects to 2040 the number of people ages 65 and older with disabilities and their use of long-term care services. The simulations show that even under the most optimistic scenario long-term care burdens on families and institutions will increase substantially.

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