Where do they go??

We have an ever-growing aged population that often needs years of ongoing care. Even those who have saved throughout their lives find those saving quickly exhausted in providing for care needs. Currently many of our population must rely on Medicaid programs to help cover these costs. These help but they are not enough. The vast majority of those providing care are doing so as a business which needs to make money. Even Medicaid as it is today, barely covers the cost of providing the care needed, so there are limited places for people to go. The last report I heard was that our non-profit adult care home was the only one like it in the State of Washington. We are there for 6 people at a time. It is something, but more is needed.

With the talk of reducing Medicaid, we must ask - where are these people to go? We are already surrounded with people living in neglect in unsafe environments. Many have no living family that either can or will provide for them.

When I talk to clients, many saved through their lives and believe they have enough and can simply pay someone to come in and help out occasionally. Sadly, not only is it hard to find caregivers, but many will require more care than this. If they need 24 hour care the cost of paying caregivers alone would average over $15,000 a month in addition to their normal household expenses (food, utilities, etc.). I regularly get calls from family and spouses desperate to find the care their loved one needs and recognizing that they can't afford to pay for this care. We are fortunate that our State currently has programs available. But for how long? What if Medicaid funding is cut? These people gave through their lives, raising families, working, contributing to their communities. They deserve to be treated with dignity today and not just cast aside to be warehoused or neglected during their final years.

Our State took a step forward with the CAREs Act. But we need more. We need to have descent places for people to live out their lives with as much independence but care as possible. We need to remember that we do not stop being human beings when we may be suffering from advanced dementia or serious disabilities. We still have value, we still give the community the chance to give as it has received. Think about it!