Facing Financial Ruin as Costs Soar for Elder Care
The United States has no coherent system of long-term care, leading many to struggle to stay independent or rely on a patchwork of solutions.
Dying Broke
A KFF Health News-New York Times Project
KFF Health News and The New York Times examine how the immense financial costs of long-term care drain older Americans and their families.
Featured Story
Adult Children Discuss the Trials of Caring for Their Aging Parents
The financial and emotional toll of providing and paying for long-term care is wreaking havoc on the lives of millions of Americans. Read about how a few families are navigating the challenges, in their own words.
What Long-Term Care Looks Like Around the World
Most countries spend more than the United States on care, but middle-class and affluent people still bear a substantial portion of the costs.
More From the Project
Extra Fees Drive Assisted Living Profits
The add-ons pile up: $93 for medications, $50 for cable TV. Prices soar as the industry leaves no service unbilled, out of reach for many families.
What to Know About Assisted Living
The facilities can look like luxury apartments or modest group homes and can vary in pricing structures. Here’s a guide.
Why Long-Term Care Insurance Falls Short for So Many
The private insurance market has proved wildly inadequate in providing financial security for millions of older Americans, in part by underestimating how many policyholders would use their coverage.
A Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance
Deciding when, or whether, to buy long-term care insurance can be complex. Here’s what to know.
Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home Care
Facing a severe shortage of aides and high costs, people trying to keep aging loved ones at home often cobble together a patchwork of family and friends to help.
What to Know About Home Care Services
Finding an aide to help an older person stay at home safely takes work. Here’s a guide.
Follow-Up: Panel Discussion & Reader Reactions
‘Financial Ruin Is Baked Into the System’: Readers on the Costs of Long-Term Care
Thousands of people shared their experiences and related to the financial drain on families portrayed in the “Dying Broke” series, a joint project by KFF Health News and The New York Times that examined the costs of long-term care.
Credits
Reporters
Jordan Rau
Reed Abelson
JoNel Aleccia
Photographers
William DeShazer
Shuran Huang
Ruth Fremson
Arin Yoon
Michelle V. Agins
Maansi Srivastava
Desiree Rios
Bryan Meltz
Will Crooks
Kelly Burgess
Tim Gruber
Ariana Drehsler
Caroline Gutman
Eric Harkleroad
Editors
John Hillkirk
Elisabeth Rosenthal
Kate Phillips
Celia Duggar
Data
Holly Hacker
Albert Sun
Copy Editors
Terry Byrne
Gabe Brison-Trezise
Alison Peterson
Photo Editors
Eric Harkleroad
Matt McCann