The necessity for extended care treatment is usually unexpected. How are we to know if we will get stricken with a debilitating illness, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease? We should protect our health and our finances against the unknown. Long term care insurance assists in the payment of extended care housing and patient treatment for individuals that need assistance in basic day-to-day activities, such as bathing and eating, for a period of three months or more.