More than half of U.S. adults aged 65 and older are now reporting they need help with everyday activities, and the care system that supports them comes with measurable risks and resource gaps. At the same time, staffing and facility performance look uneven, even as spending grows and community care continues to expand. Here are the long term care statistics that reveal that tension, from functional needs to falls, pressure injuries, and hospitalizations.
Key Takeaways
- 6.2% of adults aged 65+ reported needing help with meal preparation in 2023, based on U.S. CDC/NCHS functional limitation measures
- In 2020, 3.7 million people age 65+ received LTSS in a nursing home or other facility in the U.S.
- In 2023, 31% of Medicare-certified nursing facilities received “5-star” staffing ratings on Nursing Home Compare
- In 2020, nursing home residents were more likely to experience adverse outcomes when staffing was below recommended levels; CDC analyses found staffing shortages associated with higher mortality (cross-study finding)
- In 2022, 39.2% of nursing home residents experienced falls (incident reporting summary in peer-reviewed/registry-based studies)
- In OECD countries, public spending on long-term care averaged 1.6% of GDP in 2019
- Between 2010 and 2021, the number of U.S. people aged 65+ with a disability increased by 23%
- In 2021, median annual spending on home-based LTSS in the U.S. was $7,200 for people receiving care at home
- 8.7 million people were using long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the community in the U.S. in 2020, excluding those in nursing homes
- In 2021, 45.7% of adults aged 65+ reported that they need help with at least one activity of daily living (ADL) or instrumental activity of daily living (IADL)
- In 2023, the U.S. home health services market was valued at $113.2 billion
- In 2024, the global long-term care services market was estimated at $1.7 trillion
- In 2023, U.S. nursing home occupancy averaged 78.0% across reporting facilities
- In 2023, the median hourly wage for nursing assistants in U.S. nursing care facilities was $18.38
- In 2023, the median hourly wage for personal care aides in nursing and residential care facilities was $16.08
Rising disability and staffing shortages leave many U.S. nursing home residents with high risks, while long-term care demand grows.
Related reading
01 · Category
Population Health1 stats
01
6.2% of adults aged 65+ reported needing help with meal preparation in 2023, based on U.S. CDC/NCHS functional limitation measures
Interpretation
Population Health Interpretation
In the population health lens, 6.2% of adults aged 65 and older reported in 2023 that they needed help with meal preparation, signaling a meaningful and ongoing functional support need within the aging population.
02 · Category
Demographics & Demand1 stats
01
In 2020, 3.7 million people age 65+ received LTSS in a nursing home or other facility in the U.S.
Interpretation
Demographics & Demand Interpretation
In 2020, 3.7 million people age 65 and older received long term services and supports in a nursing home or other facility in the U.S., underscoring strong and continuing demand driven by the aging population for the demographics and demand picture.
03 · Category
Quality & Outcomes5 stats
01
In 2023, 31% of Medicare-certified nursing facilities received “5-star” staffing ratings on Nursing Home Compare
02
In 2020, nursing home residents were more likely to experience adverse outcomes when staffing was below recommended levels; CDC analyses found staffing shortages associated with higher mortality (cross-study finding)
03
In 2022, 39.2% of nursing home residents experienced falls (incident reporting summary in peer-reviewed/registry-based studies)
04
In 2020, 18.4% of nursing home residents had pressure ulcers of any stage (published systematic review estimate)
05
In 2019, 24.5% of long-term care facility residents experienced at least one fall per year (systematic review estimate)
Interpretation
Quality & Outcomes Interpretation
Under the Quality & Outcomes lens, staffing and care quality remain closely linked, with only 31% of Medicare-certified nursing facilities earning 5-star staffing ratings in 2023 while studies show worse outcomes such as higher mortality when staffing falls below recommended levels and high resident harm rates including 39.2% experiencing falls in 2022 and 18.4% having pressure ulcers in 2020.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis3 stats
01
In OECD countries, public spending on long-term care averaged 1.6% of GDP in 2019
02
Between 2010 and 2021, the number of U.S. people aged 65+ with a disability increased by 23%
03
In 2021, median annual spending on home-based LTSS in the U.S. was $7,200for people receiving care at home
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Cost pressures are mounting as public long term care spending in OECD countries averaged 1.6% of GDP in 2019 while in the US the number of adults aged 65 plus with disabilities rose 23% from 2010 to 2021 and median annual spending for home based LTSS reached $7,200 in 2021.
05 · Category
Usage & Coverage2 stats
01
8.7 million people were using long-term services and supports (LTSS) in the community in the U.S. in 2020, excluding those in nursing homes
02
In 2021, 45.7% of adults aged 65+ reported that they need help with at least one activity of daily living (ADL) or instrumental activity of daily living (IADL)
Interpretation
Usage & Coverage Interpretation
In the Usage and Coverage category, about 8.7 million people used community-based LTSS in 2020 excluding nursing home residents, and in 2021 45.7% of adults aged 65 plus said they needed help with at least one ADL or IADL, underscoring a large and ongoing gap between need and coverage.
More related reading
06 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. home health services market was valued at $113.2 billion
02
In 2024, the global long-term care services market was estimated at $1.7 trillion
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
From a market size perspective, long-term care is expanding dramatically, with the U.S. home health services market reaching $113.2 billion in 2023 and the global long-term care services market estimated at $1.7 trillion in 2024.
07 · Category
Performance Metrics1 stats
01
In 2023, U.S. nursing home occupancy averaged 78.0% across reporting facilities
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
In 2023, nursing home occupancy averaged 78.0% across reporting facilities, indicating consistently strong utilization for the long-term care performance metrics.
08 · Category
Workforce & Staffing4 stats
01
In 2023, the median hourly wage for nursing assistants in U.S. nursing care facilities was $18.38
02
In 2023, the median hourly wage for personal care aides in nursing and residential care facilities was $16.08
03
In 2023, U.S. labor market postings for direct care jobs in nursing and residential care facilities declined by 6% year-over-year (online job posting index)
04
In 2022, there were 2.8 million U.S. home health aides and personal care aides combined
Interpretation
Workforce & Staffing Interpretation
In 2023, median wages remained low while demand signals weakened as nursing assistants earned $18.38 an hour, personal care aides earned $16.08 an hour, and online job postings for direct care jobs fell 6% year over year, underscoring ongoing workforce and staffing pressure despite the 2.8 million home health and personal care aides in 2022.
09 · Category
Resident Outcomes5 stats
01
In 2022, 14.1% of nursing home residents had a pressure ulcer at some point during the year (minimum data set-based annual prevalence)
02
In 2021, 28% of nursing home residents experienced pain on a given assessment day (MDS-based measure used in peer-reviewed analyses)
03
In 2022, 9.3% of nursing home residents received a new or worsening stage of pressure injury within 90 days (longitudinal registry estimate)
04
In 2022, 10.7% of long-stay nursing home residents were reported as having delirium (MDS-based measure reported in a national cohort study)
05
In 2019, 16.2% of U.S. nursing home residents had at least one new hospitalization over a 30-day window (MDS-linkage evidence)
Interpretation
Resident Outcomes Interpretation
Resident outcomes in long-term care show meaningful and ongoing clinical challenges, with pressure ulcers affecting 14.1% of nursing home residents in 2022 and nearly 9.3% developing new or worsening pressure injuries within 90 days, while pain remains common at 28% on assessment days in 2021 and delirium is reported in 10.7% of long-stay residents in 2022.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). Long-Term Care Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/long-term-care-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "Long-Term Care Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/long-term-care-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "Long-Term Care Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/long-term-care-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)