Find out more about long-term care insurance

It's something most of us probably don't want to think about -- that we may need long-term care when we get older, or worse, if we get hurt in an automobile accident or sports activity. The state's Department of Human Resource Management is offering some help with a long-term care insurance plan through Aetna U.S. Healthcare.

Information meetings will be held Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Newcomb Hall theater for those eligible: full-time salaried U.Va. staff and faculty in the academic division and U.Va. retirees, plus spouses, parents and parents-in-law (they must be approved after completing a medical questionnaire). The deadline for enrolling is Oct. 31.

Long-term care refers to a wide range of personal care, health care and social services for people of all ages who can no longer care for themselves. Under the plan, individuals receive financial support for assistance with normal activities such as eating, dressing and getting in and out of bed, whether at home or in a nursing home. It is not the same as long-term disability, which provides a percentage of an employee's salary.

For information, call Aetna at their toll-free number, 1-877-894-2470, or visit the Web site at http://www.aetnaushc.com/custom/group/commonwealthva