Medicaid Falls Short for Nursing homes..
October 26, 2006
Reflecting a national problem, leaders of North Carolina’s nursing home and long-term care facilities say that the money which Medicaid provides for patient care simply isn’t enough to cover costs.
Caregiver Contracts Make Things Clear..
October 22, 2006
Caregiver contracts are a new option for caring for aging elders. Use these formal agreements set up by an attorney.
Boomers want to retire yet stay involved..
October 18, 2006
Many retirees, especially us baby boomers, want to retire from their careers yet become involved in other areas such as social and health services.
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ChoicePoint: To retire, start over or hang in there..?
October 17, 2006
Prior generations retired after working at one company for 25-30 years then retired. Retirees had a small house paid for, a nice Social Security check and a pension. Add to that a life expectancy of around 70 years, and you’ll have a perfect retirement plan.
Technorati Tags: generations, retired, retired, Retirees, Social Security, pension, life expectancy, retirement plan
Big Changes in Pension Plans, but Long Term Care Untouched
October 15, 2006
Technorati Tags: retirement, Pension, 401(k), defined benefit
John Hancock Leading Edge Long Term Care Insurance - Pt. 3
October 13, 2006
“Leading Edge” - Part 3
This John Hancock product also offers an alternative to the costly “lifetime benefit” offered by most other companies. The new benefit is called “5 Years Plus $1 Million”, and it is designed to cover you if you need many years of care. Check all your options with your Buyer’s Advocate.
Technorati Tags: John Hancock, benefit
John Hancock Leading Edge Long Term Care Insurance - Pt. 2
October 13, 2006
“Leading Edge” Part 2
John Hancock policy is the leading edge in long term care insurance products. The new policy features built-in, compound inflation protection linked to the Consumer Price Index.
Technorati Tags: long term care insurance, Consumer Price Index
John Hancock Leading Edge Long Term Care Insurance - Pt. 1
October 11, 2006
A recent article released by Terry Savage of the Chicago Sun-Tims tells us about a new “Leading Edge” John Hancock policy that she claims simplifies the choices, lowers the costs, and makes buying a long term care policy much easier.
Technorati Tags: long term care
Caregiving’s Costly Burden..
October 1, 2006
Hey - If I had known that official government policy toward caring for elderly parents was that their children would have to do it all, well I would have had 10 kids.
Caregiver Shortages Will Worsen as Aging Baby Boomers Increase Demand..
October 1, 2006
Demand for home-based caregiving is expected to double by 2050 as the baby boomer generation ages. This expected shortage will limit access to caregivers.
A report released by the International Longevity Center USA and the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education found that 20% of elderly patients currently lack access to family and professional caregiving and that the shortage will explode in the future. In addition, this report, titled “Caregiving in America,” reveals that caregiver wages are among the lowest wages in America, an indication that U.S. residents most likely will not be willing to take these low-wage jobs in the future. Nursing aides received an average hourly wage of $10 in 2004, plus unskilled, home-based caregivers received an even lower average hourly wage, according to the report. Another report released by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging shows that nearly half of U.S. cities have no plans whatsoever to meet the health care and other needs of aging baby boomers.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,790 U.S. cities, and they found that one-third do not provide any access to counseling on prescription drugs, health screenings, or health education for elderly residents. The number of U.S. residents ages 65 and older are projected to reach almost 72 million by 2030.
Caregiver Health
More than 2.5 million home-based, family caregivers experience stress, depression and health declines, according to a study released by the National Alliance for Caregiving. This study included an online survey of 528 family caregivers between July 21 and July 28, 2006 as well as in-depth discussion groups and phone interviews with caregivers. About 91% of the respondents said they had experienced depression, and 72% said they had not visited their physicians as much as they needed since they began to provide care for their elderly relatives. Family caregivers “are out there without anybody helping them”, and “They could get to the point where they can’t be a long term care giver anymore.” John Crews, a senior scientist at CDC, said, “People need help and respite. They need a break, and they need knowledge”.
In any case, care will get much more expensive, and long term care insurance is the best way to assure funds for your future care. You can get free comparative rate quotes online from the Buyer’s Advocate website.
Technorati Tags: baby boomer, caregivers, caregiver, baby boomers, counseling, prescription drugs, elderly, stress, depression, long term care, respite, long term care insurance
