Even without a public opinion survey telling us that people are anxious about long-term care, there's every reason the government should be ramping up its strategies for dealing with it. In fact, Hawai'i has thousands of reasons, in the form of each aging baby boomer who will need some level of care.

Today, the AARP is releasing its health and long-term care study, a survey that points out how many people say they're fretting about this aspect of the future.

It's unwise to put too much stock in results of opinion polls — the fact that people are worried about a worrisome problem doesn't mean much until they're asked to rank the issue among all the things that concern them.

But at the very least, this survey should bolster the political will of the state's elected leaders to act. It showed that 57 percent believe the healthcare and long-term care networks here are in crisis.

And consider this: The survey of 1,043 registered voters showed that six in 10 respondents favor paying a small monthly premium to receive quality long-term care service in the future. Willingness to put up money means something.

It's unfortunate that the state hasn't taken another crack at enacting a long-term care insurance program similar to the Care Plus plan that the governor vetoed about five years ago. The small cash allowances might have been an added help to elders and those who care for them, whether in the family home or in one of the state's residential care facilities.

That kind of initiative probably won't surface again until the state updates its data on long-term health needs, an inventory last compiled in preparation for Care Plus. Senate Bill 3255, which would create a commission to do the work, deserves to pass.

More immediately, there are tax credits for home modification to accommodate seniors at home and counseling stipends that could provide support for families caring for their own elders. These would be enabled in SB 2047 and 2830, respectively.

Studies, and plain common sense, show that aging in place is how kupuna want to spend their final years. As much as possible, the state must work to make that happen.