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Issues

Adult Daycare & Our Aging Population

As a growing number of Baby Boomers age, our population nationwide will consist of more seniors than ever before. As a Baby Boomer myself, I find myself starting to think proactively about the care of my parents who although are quite healthy are aging.

The fact that our health care system is at a crisis-point should cause us to think about how we will care for the most vulnerable adults among us. We will all be senior citizens. Every citizen will age and will have to care for aging family members. How can we make a difference in this area and offer options to those who need support when caring for their aging loved ones? A Nation of Two Income Families

I have always believed that as a nation of families made up of a majority of two-adult incomes, how do we handle a crisis in the family when it occurs? I have friends that have chosen to care for parents and grandparents who are afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease and although are physically healthy, cannot be left alone due to the symptoms and outcomes of their illness. Currently, the only coverage that the state applies funds to is care in a nursing home facility. This is a costly endeavor and does not work for many families due to the prohibitive cost of this type of care.

Families Need More Options for Eldercare

Many families take in their aging family members to their home and try to care for them that way. However, in most cases one of the breadwinners ends up sacrificing their job to be available at home to administer the care needed to their loved ones. This presents some difficult problems: 1. They still need that second income and are taking on an added financial burden.
2. The state government does not fund the options available to caregivers outside of a nursing home for their loved ones.
3. In order for the state to provide the funding necessary to house an elderly parent or relative a nursing home for a long term stay, sometimes requires completely selling off their home and assets in order for the state to provide the funding necessary for the stay.
4. Many want their loved ones to live with them a majority of the time and are willing to care for their basic needs in a family setting that is more conducive to them.
5. Caregivers need a break once in awhile to continue to be good caregivers.
6. The aged adults need stimulation, good care, some basic medical needs looked after and good nutritional meals and snacks provided.

So, what is the solution?

Currently there are about 170 Day Care Centers available in the State of Minnesota. The daily cost is about $68.00 per day. These centers are a great place for seniors to be. They can come and make new friends, engage in social activities, have meals and snacks and get their basic medical and physical needs met. This allows their caregivers to continue to work to pay for the necessary costs of their care and provides for them a great break on days when they themselves need respite care.

Eldercare should be no different than providing Child Care

As a former child daycare provider, I always thought that it would be great to have elder care provided for in the same way. Yet currently the state has no provisions and funding for this great option for citizens who are caregivers.

My Proposal

I also believe that we should consider creating multi-generational facilities that would house child day care and pre-school programs in one area of the building and elder care in another part of the building and make it easy for both age groups to get together once in awhile. We need to pass down valuable stories and lessons from our older "wise ones" to our up and coming generation, and many times small children who do not have grandparents, or whose grandparents are faraway do not have the opportunity to interface with the older generation. We need our future citizens to be affected by the older generation. We also need our older citizens to be seriously "infected by the spirit and joy" of the younger generation.

Need based Sliding Scale is Essential

As Governor, I would propose a sliding scale that is government subsidized to care for the day care needs of our elderly and other vulnerable adults with the understanding that at some time we will ALL be elderly or caring for elderly citizens. We need to offer this valuable care based on the need of the individual. I would also state that the laws that require the sell off of property and assets are counter-productive to the situation at hand.

Support Families that care for their Elders

We should encourage families to take care of their families. We should assist them in areas least intrusive to them. Obviously for someone with unlimited financial resources this should not be an issue. However for those of us that don't have that advantage, it makes sense that we would care humanely for those who were responsible before us for driving the economy, paying the taxes and being responsible citizens. In their golden years, they should be able to rely on our concerned care for them.

Government Needs to Stop Seizing Assets

It also makes no sense to penalize family members that care for their families by requiring them to dump all of their financial assets to get some state aid. In most cases these family caregivers are only about 10-15 years away from retirement themselves, and some still have college to help fund for their sons and daughters.

To bankrupt those that would provide care to their own families would be inhumane and unjust. This crazy notion to take every asset from someone and turn around and give him or her a free ride is as archaic as the welfare system before reform.

People do not want a hand out; they simply want a hand up. We should never take someone's dignity and pride away by forcing them to receive a handout from government, when all they need is some financial assistance. To rob one's dignity by, taking away the assets they have worked hard to maintain is just plain foolish and wrongheaded.

Pay Daycare Givers Appropriately

There is one more issue that continues to be at the forefront of the Adult Day Center issue as well as the nursing home issue for citizens. We need to value the workers that work with our most vulnerable citizens. Nursing assistants and day center providers need to be compensated more appropriately for the good care they provide. Those that work in group homes and provide care for those that cannot live on their own must be able to earn an acceptable living. Punish those who abuse

There have been many stories nationwide about individuals that would prey on these citizens by securing employment in a facility that cares for vulnerable adults only to abuse them. There must be severe punishment outcomes for those workers that are guilty of this conduct and there must be recompense to the victim and/or family of the victim. We must see that our workers are highly qualified and screened drug abuse and past criminal misconduct before hiring. We cannot afford to have our vulnerable citizens suffer at the hands of criminals who pose as caregivers.

I believe we can work together for a better plan for our aging and vulnerable citizens.

Are you ready to join the team that can get it done?