Who will take care of me? Perceptions and Expectations of Future Long-Term Care Needs among Middle-Aged and Older Israelis

The study presented in this article examined perceptions and expectations of future long-term care (LTC) needs among middle-aged and older Israelis. The sample consisted of 43 participants who were interviewed in five focus groups. We conducted constant comparisons in an attempt to find thematic commonalities and differences and identified three major themes. The first theme related to the participants' challenges perceiving themselves as old and to their difficulty with the concept of old age. The second theme related to the participants' perceptions of similarities and differences between them and their parents' generation in terms of aging and future needs. The third theme related to the participants' perceptions of their future LTC service needs. The findings provide important insights for public policy and health care professionals, and suggest that despite the general preference to age in place, most individuals acknowledge that this may not be a feasible option for them. LTC preferences are discussed in light of sociocultural changes in Israel.