About Long Term Care in Oregon

Oregon has long been held up as the national model for providing long term care services to seniors, in particular for its focus on providing care in a community-based setting. Oregon’s unique model offers a variety of living options and services tailored to their situation, which greatly improves quality of life for seniors and people with disabilities.

As a term, long term care refers to the services and support that allow seniors or people with disabilities to perform necessary activities of daily living. The types of long term care available vary widely, from care provided in the home, to 24/7 intensive care, to communities that offer independent living and various levels of care services.

How Oregon is Different

Oregon’s model is so unique because it encourages that care be provided in home- or community-based care setting as long as possible. Since the 1970s, Oregon has shifted toward a home- and community-based care model that has dramatically lowered the cost of services and greatly improved quality of life for Oregon seniors. This innovative approach to long term care is the result of decades of hard work by industry leaders and concerned citizens who have come together to maintain Oregon seniors’ independence, dignity, and choice.

Aging Statistics

Oregon is facing a rapidly aging population that economists have called a “Silver Tsunami.” According to the US Census Bureau, by 2050 the number of Americans aged 65 and older will be 88.5 million, and nearly one in five Americans will be aged 65 and older by 2030.

The demand for community-based care is expected to increase as our population ages, and members of the Oregon Health Care Association are committed to improving the lives of aging Oregonians.