Business and government leaders in Colorado and across the nation are well aware that our population is aging, but they have yet to grasp the full impact on our society. A crisis in caregiving resources is looming, and no one is doing anything about it.
More than 36 million Americans are already 65 or older, and we are poised for a major shift, as 2006 is the year that the first baby boomers will turn 60. Many of these boomers are caring for their aging parents, but before too long, they may need some help for themselves. According to the National Family Caregivers Association, 25 million family caregivers nationwide provide free services that would otherwise cost the health care system $257 billion – more than double the annual spending on home health care and nursing home care services combined.
The 400,000 Coloradans who currently serve as family caregivers for aging seniors desperately need Colorado business and government leaders to understand the challenges of caregiving and implement policies to support caregivers’ efforts, which are so vital to our aging citizens and to the stability of our entire health care system.
While the responsibility of caring for aging parents has always been part of our society, today’s caregiving is much more complex, more challenging and more stressful than it has ever been:
People are living much longer than they used to. In the 1900s the average lifespan was 47; today most people live well into their 70s. This means the role of caregiver, which used to last for a relatively brief period of time, today can last years.
With tremendous advances in medical treatment, many people are living longer with chronic conditions. Caregivers are now responsible for implementing sometimes complicated treatment plans.
People are being released from hospitals earlier in an effort to save medical costs. This, too, means caregivers are frequently responsible for family members with complicated medical needs.
The role of caregiving is most often filled by women. Unlike past generations, today’s female caregivers are usually trying to manage their careers and take care of their own children at the same time.
Since caregiving is more time-consuming and complicated than ever before, caregivers must take more time off work, which reduces income and affects their employers. In addition, spending more time away from the rest of the family causes strain on those relationships.
The net effect is that caregivers are more physically, emotionally and financially stressed than ever before. It is not at all uncommon for caregivers to develop their own significant physical or mental health problems because of the stress of caregiving.
Our nation’s health care system is already troubled with rising costs and worker shortages. However, without the in-kind services currently provided by family caregivers, the existing health care system could collapse under a mountain of additional care needs of aging adults.
Unfortunately, our state and our nation’s policies do very little to support the very critical efforts of caregivers.
I urge Colorado’s leaders in business and government to recognize the immense contribution family caregivers provide to their own families and to our entire health care system. Our business and government leaders can support the efforts of caregivers by implementing policies that will:
Increase access to home health care services for low-income caregivers. These services can provide caregivers with desperately needed expertise or occasional relief from their responsibilities.
Improve family-friendly policies in the workplace such as family leave, paid sick leave, flexible work schedules, counseling services and dependent care accounts.
Provide opportunities for education and training to help family caregivers learn the skills they will need to provide simple medical care, manage finances and find needed community resources.
Increase the oversight of the home health care industry to ensure that quality services are available to all.
Family caregivers provide about 80 percent of all long-term care services in this country. Caregiving is hard, stressful work, and it can take a tremendous toll. Without additional support for their efforts, more and more caregivers will suffer a decline in their own health, rendering them unable to continue their critical efforts in caregiving.
The time is now for our nation to move the needs of caregivers to the forefront of health care policy.
Lou Kallas is the executive director of Seniors Inc., which has served the senior population in Colorado since 1969.
