CQ Publication: “Caring for the Elderly”
New Publication: “Caring for the Elderly” in Congressional Quarterly Researcher (Oct. 13, 2006)
Nearly70 percent of those turning 65 this year will need long-term care (LTC)in their lifetimes; 20 percent will need it for five years or longer.But – unlike most other industrialized nations – the United States hasno public or private insurance infrastructure to pay for LTC. Thoseneeding years of care will have to impoverish themselves beforeMedicaid will pay for it. But state officials say Medicaid – intendedas a health-care safety net for poor children – could be bankrupted byrising LTC costs as the baby-boom generation ages, and the number ofpeople over age 85 soars from around 5 million to 21 million by 2050.Meanwhile, understaffing, low pay and poor working conditions atnursing homes put residents at risk of life-threatening malnutritionand bed sores. As an alternative, states and nonprofits are offeringmore home- and community-delivered care, but LTC experts say thealternatives may not be any safer.
Thanks to Dick Kaplan for directing me to this.