Asking those who live in the Philippines: if you or your spouse grow older and need long-term care or a nursing home, what happens?

The reason we want to stay in the Philippines even if we can't move on our own is that we don't want to go into a nursing home. We can just hire a 24-hour caregiver for our own home. All we need is family or someone trustworthy to take charge of the care. Let money take care of you. Really, everyone will look after you well, because you're their source of income.

Usually family takes care of it. But these days you can hire a caregiver for around 100 pesos an hour, which is much cheaper than in the US.

My mother spent the last year of her life at Big Hearts nursing home in Parañaque BF. We were all overseas. She was very happy there. Since it was during COVID, we had video calls often, and we were really grateful she was there. The staff were wonderful. They treated us like family and treated my mother like their own mother. Big Hearts Adult Daycare and Assisted Living Inc.

In the Philippines, family usually takes care of elderly relatives. A full-time nurse can be hired for about 300 dollars a month. I retired at 73 and have Medicare and TriCare health insurance. I'm building a house to live in after retirement, and I'm preparing for the time I can no longer care for myself. I have long-term care insurance that pays 5,800 dollars a month for a nursing home during the last five years of life. In the US, the same care would cost 10,000 to 12,000 dollars.