America's Hidden Long-Term Care Problem

A new study shows just how tough the job of a long-term care worker is.

A recent study from researchers at five colleges and universities surveyed 1,708 long-term care workers as well as 1,044 information technology (IT) workers employed at a Fortune 500 firm over 18 months. They wanted to see how the workers compared over time for job strain, burnout, job satisfaction, work/family conflict and psychological distress.
The upshot: Even though the IT workers had longer hours than the long-term care workers (registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and certified nursing assistants), the jobs of the long-term care workers were “high-strain” vs. the IT workers’ “low-strain” positions.
via Next Avenue.

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Women 50+ Quitting Work for Family Caregiving

The Fahle and McGarry study confirms some rather grim statistics from other sources about working women who are caregivers:
The average income lost by caregivers each year is a whopping 33 percent.
Caregivers pay for many caregiving expenses out of their own pockets, to the tune of $10,000 a year.
Overall, 11 percent of caregivers end up having to quit their job to care for someone at home around-the-clock.
If a woman does have to leave her job due to caregiving needs, the lost wages, pensions and Social Security benefits over her lifetime total more than $300,000.
via Next Avenue.

Related Reading:

Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.

We recommend that, in computing the Social Security retirement or disability benefit that imputed earnings for up to five family service years would be granted to a worker who leaves or reduces his/her participation in the work force to provide care to children under the age of six or to elderly family members.

Source: bit.ly gender wage gap politics caregivers seniors social security retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform p2 caregiver credits healthcare health care

“In The Disaster Artist film, the recent send-up of The Room, James Franco’s character Tommy Wiseau cries out: “You’re tearing me apart!!!” After reviewing a new Northwestern Mutual study of caregiving in America, I felt that many of the nation’s 40... — In The Disaster Artist film, the recent send-up of The Room, James Franco’s character Tommy Wiseau cries out: “You’re tearing me apart!!!” After reviewing a new Northwestern Mutual study of caregiving in America, I felt that many of the nation’s 40 million family caregivers must be feeling this way — about the cruel toll their caregiving for loved ones is taking on their finances, their careers and their relationships.
“Depending on the nature of the care that’s required, it can really derail or change the whole landscape of how an individual goes about the day-to-day world,” said Kamilah Williams-Kemp, vice president, long-term care at Northwestern Mutual. “I don’t know if people realize the full extent they may be required to step in and lend a hand.”
via Forbes.
**Related Reading:**
Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.
In computing the Social Security retirement or disability benefit, imputed earnings for up to five family service years should be granted to a worker who leaves or reduces his/her participation in the work force in order to provide care to children under the age of six or to elderly family members.

Source: bit.ly social security caregiving caregiver credits seniors elderly older americans health care healthcare p2 entitlements entitlement reform retirement retirees retirement crisis

“Elderly Americans’ well-being is at risk unless the U.S. does much more to help millions of family caregivers who sacrifice their own health, finances and personal lives to look out for loved ones, reported a study released Tuesday.
”
Related... — Elderly Americans’ well-being is at risk unless the U.S. does much more to help millions of family caregivers who sacrifice their own health, finances and personal lives to look out for loved ones, reported a study released Tuesday.
via Kaiser Health News.
Related Reading:
Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.
We recommend that, in computing the Social Security retirement or disability benefit that imputed earnings for up to five family service years would be granted to a worker who leaves or reduces his/her participation in the work force to provide care to children under the age of six or to elderly family members.

Source: bit.ly social security politics p2 seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform caregivers caregiver credits elderly older americans

“The implication: Promoting well-being is both possible and desirable in people with dementia, even as people struggle with memory loss, slower cognitive processing, distractibility and other symptoms.
“There are many things that caregivers, families... — The implication: Promoting well-being is both possible and desirable in people with dementia, even as people struggle with memory loss, slower cognitive processing, distractibility and other symptoms.
“There are many things that caregivers, families and friends can do — right now — to improve people’s lives,” said Dr. Allen Power, author of “Dementia Beyond Disease: Enhancing Well-Being” and chair for aging and dementia innovation at the Schlegel-University of Waterloo Research Institute for Aging in Canada.
Of course, the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia are enormously difficult, and resources to help caregivers are scarce — problems that shouldn’t be underestimated.
via Kaiser Health News.
Related Reading:
The Alzheimer’s/Medicare Connection.
It’s clear that Alzheimer’s is not only devastating to the growing number of families whose loved ones are afflicted with this terrible disease but it’s impact will also be felt by every American who depends on vital health security programs like Medicare and Medicaid.
Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.
We recommend that, in computing the Social Security retirement or disability benefit that imputed earnings for up to five family service years would be granted to a worker who leaves or reduces his/her participation in the work force to provide care to children under the age of six or to elderly family members.

Source: bit.ly alzheimers caregivers politics seniors alzheimers research medicare health healthcare health care p2 retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform dementia ALZ social security caregiver credits

“Rick is one of 15 million Americans caring for a family member with dementia. That thought may conjure images of boomers caring for elderly parents, but if early-onset dementia is in play, it’s a completely different equation. A spouse often becomes... — Rick is one of 15 million Americans caring for a family member with dementia. That thought may conjure images of boomers caring for elderly parents, but if early-onset dementia is in play, it’s a completely different equation. A spouse often becomes the round-the-clock caregiver.
via NPR.
Related Reading:
Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.
We recommend that, in computing the Social Security retirement or disability benefit that imputed earnings for up to five family service years would be granted to a worker who leaves or reduces his/her participation in the work force to provide care to children under the age of six or to elderly family members.

Source: eleanorshope.org social security caregivers politics healthcare seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform p2 caregiver credits social insurance older americans elderly medicare

Providing caregiver credits would strengthen a parent’s earnings history which should also result in a higher benefit amount for themselves and their eligible children. Interrupting participation in the labor force to look after other family members, usually children and elderly parents or relatives, can result in a significant reduction in the amount of the caregiver’s Social Security benefit.

via Eleanor’s Hope.

Source: eleanorshope.org social security politics seniors caregivers caregiver credits elderly retirement retirees retirement crisis SSDI p2 entitlements entitlement reform

wapo.st

In helping elderly parents, caregivers get a peek at their futures — and are inspired to plan for old age

AARP estimates about 41 million Americans care for their adult family members, a number that has increased as life expectancy has grown. About 4 in 10 such caregivers say they have plans in place for their own future care, according to the organization’s 2015 Caregiving in the U.S. survey.
Often, people who are relatively young and healthy don’t spend much time contemplating what life will look like when they get old and frail — until they see it reflected in the life of a loved one.
via Washington Post.

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Source: bit.ly politics elderly older americans seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform caregiving caregivers healthcare health care p2

“Almost half of family caregivers have been providing care for two years or less but 15% have been doing it for more than 10 years.
”
Related Reading:Caregiving is especially important to women because they disproportionately provide and receive... — Almost half of family caregivers have been providing care for two years or less but 15% have been doing it for more than 10 years.
via Senior Care Corner.
Related Reading:
Caregiving is especially important to women because they disproportionately provide and receive caregiving. It is estimated that 60 percent of all caregivers are women and 65 percent of all care recipients are women.

Source: ncpssm.org caregivers p2 seniors elderly politics older americans medicare social security caregiver caregiving entitlements entitlement crisis caregiver credits

“Leaving the workforce to become a full-time caregiver, even for a few years, has a lifetime impact.
”
Related Reading:• Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.
• We recommend that, in computing the Social Security retirement or disability... — Leaving the workforce to become a full-time caregiver, even for a few years, has a lifetime impact.
via CAP.
Related Reading:
Providing Social Security Credits for Caregivers.
We recommend that, in computing the Social Security retirement or disability benefit that imputed earnings for up to five family service years would be granted to a worker who leaves or reduces his/her participation in the work force to provide care to children under the age of six or to elderly family members.

Source: bit.ly caregivers politics social security p2 seniors retirement retirees retirement crisis entitlements entitlement reform caregiver credits older americans elderly

Investment in home and community-based care is popular and must be included in #infrastructure. Now it’s up to Congress to get it done. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/opinion/elder-care-congress.html #HCBS @nytimes

Opinion | Will Congress Abandon America’s Seniors?

Republicans are right that elder care only loosely counts as infrastructure. But something must be done about it.

nytimes.com

NCPSSM — America's Hidden Long-Term Care Problem

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.