Many Californians Cannot Afford to Grow Older

A new poll shows they are unprepared for the cost of future care

Many Californians have a hard time thinking about the future in a down economy.

About 66 percent of Californians, regardless of political party or income level, were worried about how they're going to  afford to care for themselves when they get older, according to a new poll by the SCAN Foundation and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

California voters are having a tough time breaking even when it comes to their current living expenses.

48 percent of voters, age 40 and older, said their household income declined in the past year.

50 percent said they had to take money out of savings to meet their expenses.

41 percent said they even had to cut down on the amount of money they spent on food.

"Californians need affordable options to age with dignity and independence so that they can live how they want in the place they call home," said Dr. Bruce Chernof, President and CEO of the SCAN Foundation.

Of those polled, 85 percent said they had no long-term care insurance. And for many, affording nursing home care seemed out of reach.

The poll found 66 percent of California voters said they could not afford more than three months of nursing home care. The average cost of which is $6,000 per month in the state.  About 42 percent of voters could not afford a single month of care.

The survey, given in English and Spanish, polled 1, 490 registered California voters, age 40 and older.

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