Let's start with the good news: Seniors are living longer and healthier than ever before. The bad news is that our government lacks the resources to handle the growing demands of senior care. But there's planty you can do to protect your-self, starting with gathering knowledge.

Here are ten things you should know:

1. Know your rights.
   You have the right to receive high-quality health care and not lose your life's savings in the process.
2. Know your benefits.
   Understand the ins and outs of your insurance coverage. It's easy to misunderstand terms like "comprehensive care" and "aftercare". However, good long-term care policies provide coverage for standard activities of daily living (ADL), such as bathing, dressing, and feeding, with which people often need help after a hospital stay.
3. Know the statistics.
   For people over 65, the chances of needing Long-Term Care are quite high: About 50% of seniors will need nursing home care of home care. The average nursing home stay is 2.8 years. Typically, 37% of Long-Term Care costs included room, board and rehabilitation and are paid directly by patients and their families.
4. Know the situation.
   Health plans are pushing cost-containment strategies that may not always be in patients' best interests.
5. Know the costs.
   The average cost for a year in a nursing home is approximately $80,000; for a year of a full-time, live-in health care professional it's about $150,000.
6. Know your responsibilities.
   It's up to you to protect your financial assets. Resolving your long-term health care situation protects your nest egg and guarantees that you'll receive adequate care.
7. Know that Long-Term Care is affordable.
   Plans can cost less than $2,500 annually for someone who is 65.
8. Know not to put this off.
   It doesn't make financial sense to wait. Premiums for a new policy increase as you age (if you're still insurable). For example, one of the finest comprehensive Long-Term Care plans charges $1,664 annually at age 55; $2,270 at age 65; and $4,912 at age 75.
9. Know that there's no easy answer.
   Everyone's situation is different. That's why you need to do thorough research.
10. Know where to go for help.
    Senior Benefit Centers can answer questions on senior asset protection, health care planning, Long-Term Care, Medicare choices, and Medicare HMOs. Senior Benefit Centers provides free and unbiased assessments of your situation to help you make the choices that are best for your.