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The number of households providing care to someone
over 50 has tripled in te last decade, primarily because
we have an aging population.
Three-fourths of the caregivers are women, and 2/3
of them work outside the home. Over half of them report
missing work an average of one day a month, going to
work late, leaving early, working about finances, give
up promotions, personal time and even family vacations.
Most of all, caregivers experience overall stress and
fatigue. To combat these problems, some of them either
go part-time and one in five caregivers reported either
temporarily or permanently leaving their jobs altogether.
This could be any of us if someone we love suck as
a spouse or parent suffers a debilitating accident
or stroke. To avoid drastic lifestyle changes brought
about by the time and financial restrictions of care
giving, many people are planning ahead by purchasing
long term care insurance on themselves and their parents
and even grandparents.
A long term care policy can mean not having to give
up savings for college tuition or retirement. It can
also mean being able to keep a job, if you choose to.
It can mean the difference between being forced into
a nursing home because that’s the primary type
of care funded by Medicaid, the welfare program, and
being able to stay home because the policy provides
money for home health care.
05/04 - BACK
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