Patterns of informal and formal caregiving among elders with private long-term care insurance

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to provide basic descriptive informa tion on community-dwelling, disabled, private long-term care (LTC) insuranc e policyholders who have accessed polity benefits. We focus on how benefits are used, whether claimants Feel they are getting appropriate value from t heir policies, and what the patterns are of formal and informal service use . Design and Methods: Data were obtained from a nationally representative s ample of 693 LTC insurance claimants who were receiving benefits while livi ng in the community and 424 of their informal caregivers. Eight of the larg est LTC insurance companies representing about 80% of the market participat ed in the study. Results: LTC insurance benefits are well targeted; they se rve those truly dependent on ongoing care. The vast majority of claimants a re satisfied with their policies, understand their coverage, and find it ea sy to file claims. Because of their LTC benefits, substantial numbers of di sabled elderly individuals report that they are able to remain at home inst ead of being forced to seek institutional care. The availability of LTC ben efits reduces stress among informal caregivers. For most claimants, formal care did not replace informal caregiving. implications: As the LTC insuranc e market continues to grow and mature, there will be changes in the profile of claimants, the service delivery system, and the design of policies. Exp ansions in the private market will be associated with a greater number of d isabled elderly remaining in their homes with a maintenance of and enhanced resiliency of informal support networks.