About Long-Term
Services and Supports
What are long-term services?
Long-term services are essential to the health and well-being of more than 10 million Americans who have limitations that keep them from fully performing essential daily tasks. Long-term services include a broad array of direct services, such as assistance with bathing, meal preparation, or dressing, or help with more complex tasks, such as managing medications, handling personal finances, or grocery shopping. It also includes supports, such as transportation assistance, assistive technology, and training. Assistance with daily activities is considered “long-term” if it is needed continuously for more than 90 days.
Many think of older people living in a nursing home or other institutional settings when they hear the terms “long-term services” or “long-term care.” But that is only a small part of the picture. About half of the people who need long-term services are under age 65, and most live in the community. Click on the links below to learn more about who needs long-term services, where they are provided, and what’s needed to improve them.
