Aging in Place in Your 60s: What to Think About Now
In your 60s, planning shifts from someday to soon. Retirement and Medicare are close or already here, and Medicare doesn’t cover long-term custodial care. It’s a good time to make your home decisions, put key documents in place, and, if you’re healthy enough to qualify, decide how you’ll pay for care.
What changes when you turn 65?
You become eligible for Medicare, which covers short-term skilled care but not ongoing help with daily activities when that’s the only care you need. (Medicare.gov) See Does Medicare Cover Long-Term Care?.
Will you stay, modify, or move?
Your 60s are a good time to decide while the choice is fully yours. If you’re staying, start with the changes that prevent falls. See Making Your Home Age-Ready, Room by Room.
Can you still get long-term care insurance?
Often, yes, depending on your health and the options you choose. Premiums are generally higher than in your 50s, and options narrow as you approach a policy’s maximum issue age. See When Should You Buy Long-Term Care Insurance?.
Which documents should you have in place?
Talk with an attorney about documents like a financial power of attorney, a health care power of attorney, and an advance directive. See Planning Ahead for Cognitive Decline.
Who knows your plan?
Share your wishes with the people who would help carry them out, including where you want to live and who you’d want helping you.
A short checklist for your 60s
Understand what Medicare will and won’t cover
Make your home decision
Put key documents in place with an attorney
Decide how you’d pay for care. See what it could cost.
Staying Power is a licensed insurance agency that helps people plan how they’ll pay for care as retirement begins.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover long-term care at 65?
No. Medicare covers short-term skilled care, not ongoing custodial care.
Is it too late to buy long-term care insurance in my 60s?
Not necessarily. Coverage can often still be issued in your 60s, depending on your health and the options you choose.
