A recent article in AARP Bulletin said that nearly 70% of senior citizens will require help from others to get through their day. Women will need it for an average of 3.7 years and men 2.2 years. However, having owned Family inHome Caregiving of Monterey and Santa Cruz for more than 12 years, I think these numbers can be low—some people require help for more than a decade. Seniors are living longer, and if you live to be over 100 and need care starting at age 80, that can be two decades of monthly caregiving bills if you don’t have a relative willing to step in. Unfortunately, Long Term Care or LTC Insurance is the only type of insurance which pays for having a caregiver come to your home, and few people have it. I always urge the children of clients that we care for to get it while they can. It’s very expensive and the younger you get a policy and the healthier you are the better rate you will get. Some companies also give discounts if both a husband and wife buy a policy at the same time.