Since 2004, families across America have counted on us to help them understand the cost of care.
Our research in 435 cities and towns across all 50 states has not only helped individuals plan for their own care but helped policymakers with forecasting and legislative reform. In 2021, the 18th year of the survey, the United States continued to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and the national median costs associated with all long-term care service providers increased compared to 2020 data.
Why Cost of Care is Increasing
Since we started tracking the cost of care in 2004, long term care services have been on the rise. Certainly, though, the last two years have brought new challenges to a challenging landscape. While already experts in caring for vulnerable populations, in response to COVID-19 care providers increased their use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhanced their trainings and protocols to meet the health and safety concerns of their clientele. Costs associated with those measures, as well as compliance with guidelines and regulations, contribute to increases in rates seen this year. These COVID-19-related costs, though, are expected to dissipate over time and represent a small proportion of the overall increase in the 2021 rates.
The core driver of increases in the cost of care services remains supply and demand. Every day until 2030, 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 651 and seven out of ten of them will require long-term care services at some point2. The level of care needed by this rapidly aging population has itself increased over the years3. The high turnover rate and insufficient supply of professionals to meet this growing demand pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic4, but are now amplified as those providing care on the frontline must consider their own risk of exposure against increasing opportunities for competitive salaries in alternative lines of work.
Cost of Care Trends (2004 – 2021)
Source: Genworth Cost of Care Surveys 2004-2021, Conducted by CareScout®\
Genworth Cost of Care 2004 – 2021
To explore Cost of Care data by city, state or zip code, find trend charts and access lists of states ranked in order of care costs, visit www.genworth.com/costofcare.
Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2004-2021, Conducted by CareScout®
1 “2020 Census Will Help Policymakers Prepare for the Incoming Wave of Aging Boomers” (census.gov), site accessed 01/28/22.
2 2021 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (https://acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-will-you-need). Site accessed 01/28/22.
3 Genworth Beyond Dollars 2021
4 2020 “The Ballooning Costs of Long Term Care,” American Action Forum; https://www.americanactionforum.org/research/the-ballooning-costs-of-long-term-care/
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