Long-term health care insurance is essential for anyone who has assets to protect and does not have the financial ability to pay well in excess of $10,000 per month for a nursing home without jeopardizing one’s financial stability. This is especially true when one spouse becomes ill, and the other is able to live at home but also needs to maintain his/her own standard of living. While no one wants to go to a nursing home, sometimes it is inevitable. More commonly, a person will go to an assisted living facility or have a health professional take care of him/her at home, with the nursing home being the absolute last resort. Unfortunately, while not as expensive as nursing home care, both home care and assisted living are quite expensive. In New York, where the cost of care is especially high, purchasing long-term care insurance should be a serious consideration for anyone over the age of 50.