Increased life expectancy and the aging of the baby boomer generation is projected to create a surge in demand for long-term care in coming years, yet current policies for planning for such care are already deemed inadequate. In this study, CHAS Fellow and Working Group member Tamara Konetzka and colleagues utilized life course constructs to analyze focus group data to better understand influencing factors in individual’s engagement in long-term care planning. Their research revealed that study participants considered perceived institutional and economic instability when deciding how to prepare for long-term care. Others planned for maximization of public benefits. Finally, the study indicated that changing norms around aging and family roles also influenced participants in terms of what they felt they could or could not expect from their adult children’s involvement. The researchers hope that understanding life course context can inform policy efforts to encourage long-term care planning.
