Northwestern Mutual Study Details Long-Term Care Costs by State

Cost of long-term care study finds expenses vary widely for assisted living, nursing homes and home health care across the country

MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Northwestern Mutual released today its 2010 Cost of Long-Term Care study, which examines costs for home health care providers, assisted living facilities and nursing homes across the country.

This research is important in understanding the accessibility and affordability of different types of services by geographic location, and helps individuals make informed decisions about their long-term care options and costs.

Findings mirrored results from the 2008 study, which revealed that costs vary widely based on type of care and geographic location. For example:

• Assisted living costs are highest in the East, where six states and Washington DC have average costs above $4,000/month. This compares to North Dakota – the least expensive state in terms of assisted living – with average costs of $1,901/month.
• Nursing home costs in Alaska are the highest at $538/day on average, which is $186 more a day than the next most expensive – Connecticut – at $352/day. Louisiana is the least expensive at $127/day.
• Residents of Missouri and Montana on average spend $19/hour for home health care, whereas West Virginians have average costs of $60/hour. Assuming an 8-hour day, five days a week, this amounts to an additional $328/day, or more than $85,600/year in West Virginia versus Missouri or Montana.

The significant implications of these costs for individuals’ long-term financial security is further underscored by a separate research study – Financial Matters – in which Northwestern Mutual found that only 17 percent of Americans can provide an estimate of long-term care costs within 20 percent of their state’s average.

“People are living longer and health care costs continue to rise, making long-term care an increasingly important risk to address," said Steve Sperka, Northwestern Mutual vice president – long-term care. “It will take greater financial resources for residents of some states to protect their assets and lifestyle through retirement than others. Understanding the reality of long-term care costs in your area - and the potential impact to your financial security - is a critical step in developing a sound financial plan that won’t be derailed by a lack of awareness about long-term care risk.”

Resources for Long Term Care Planning

Northwestern Mutual has a range of resources to help individuals think about and plan for long-term care needs:

• Visit the Cost of Care Calculator to help you better understand the potential cost if you were to require long-term care services
• Visit the Lifespan Calculator to estimate out how many years you may live past retirement
• Learn more about the long-term care costs and options available to you

About the research

In June 2010, the Long Term Care Group, Inc. conducted customized Cost of Care research on behalf of Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company of nearly 2,000 assisted living facilities, nursing homes and home health care providers in specific regions of the United States.

About Northwestern Mutual

The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company – Milwaukee, WI (Northwestern Mutual) has helped clients achieve financial security for more than 150 years. As a mutual company with $1.2 trillion of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual shares, as appropriate, its gains with policyowners and deliver consistent and dependable value to clients over time. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a holistic approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, limited purpose federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company; and Russell Investments.

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance CompanyJean Towell, 1-800-323-7033
[email protected]

Source: Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company