Long-term care for a growing population of senior citizens is getting more attention as more baby boomers age into that particular demographic. The attention must translate to dollars and viable programs, however, to mitigate a growing long-term care crisis.
That is one of the messages communicated to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging during its listening tour session in Pitt County last week. The tour is to gather recommendations for state legislators, who must create a four-year plan on aging.
“Everything comes down to dollars,” said Donna Creech, who works in a Pamilico County health clinic and is a member of the Governor’s Council on Aging. “Funding has been cut across the state while people are asking for increased services and resources to keep seniors in their homes. When you look at the cost of long-term care, you’ve got to meet the demand with increased funding.”
Too many Americans, unfortunately, do not plan for their long-term care needs, and those who do can see their savings and assets quickly depleted from the cost of long-term care.
Shortly before the rocky rollout of Obamacare last fall, it was announced that the Affordable Care Act would be implemented without a long-term care component. The Obama administration threw out the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act fearing that only Americans who needed long-term care benefits most would pay into the program, leaving it unsustainable.
Given the problems Obamacare has seen with enrolling enough young, healthy members, the CLASS Act would have indeed been a tough sell.
The first three “frequently asked” questions listed on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging’s Web page relate to finding a nursing home, dealing with complaints about nursing homes, and the rights of nursing home residents.
A prominent topic discussed during last week’s listening session, however, related to enabling families to provide seniors with long-term care at home.
According to the Administration on Aging, 39.6 million Americans were 65 years old or older in 2009, representing 12.9 percent of the population. By 2030, the AOA projects the number of people 65 or older to swell to about 72.1 million.
With no sustainable plan in place for providing institutional long-term care to such a large demographic, government support for long-term care will need to add focus to helping more family caregivers provide more in-home care.
That is an economic reality for which government and families must prepare.
http://www.reflector.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-long-term-care-crisis-2476801
