On Long-Term Care, Let's Listen to the Caregivers

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Die quickly, or nursing homes will take everything you’ve worked so hard all your life to acquire, and they don't mind doing it at all. Nursing homes have no problems robbing and elderly person of everything they have before they die. As a society, we should be ashamed of ourselves for letting this type of abuse happen.

Kenneth Alsing of SC 7:07PM January 12, 2010

As a developer of Senior Care housing..this is a stunning joke! Although I am in California, even if we give 90% of it away the cost of the State beauracracy to get to square one is more than the whole program might ante up...
What caregiver thinks this is a good idea? The grandkids who can't wait for grandma to die?

Tom in San Diego of CA 8:23PM December 26, 2009

g reat humanitarian move to have a system where the elderly can stay in their home. The present, like most other healthcare programs takes advantage of the fact that this is another vehicle for getting rich on the backs of the elcerly and the infirmed. The nursing home system is a total nightmare. I know from having to deal with these vultures for six long years. The abuses are covered up. There can be no real inspection because the homes are forewarned. The ombusdman system is a cover up for the abuses that occur. Oh, yes I` saw it all and my family suffered through it.
In our society this is one of the most Dickensonian institutions in our country. It desperately needs to be weeded out. Caring for the elderly should not be a for-profit industry. The temptation for greed is too prevalent.
I pray that we as a society can get past the greed that has a strangle hold on our legislators and our society in general. It perpetuates many abusive systems and we are not able to through it off because our government is so imbedded in keeping the big money coming in.
I frequently worry what will happen to us? Our government is paralyzed and we cannot through off the corruption.
All I can say is God help us! It may get to the point that we completely lose faith in this system and refuse to defend it militarily. Then another force will come through and take us over.
These are not only my thoughts. Most people I talk to have the same feelings!!! Scary, huh????

Elizabeth Kikuichi of KY 10:05AM December 24, 2009

That CLASS is included in the health care bills comes as news. I doubt many people are aware of its inclusion. Even appreciating the nobility of its purpose, as you point out, the verdict of disastrous costs rendered by chief Medicare/Medicaid actuary Foster only adds to other legitimate concerns regarding the huge cost of the health care proposals. Yet some clarity is needed. The program is described as voluntary, but later, you say employers would be required to enroll employees unless the workers opted out. What is Foster's estimate of the cost based on as far as participation in the program is concerned? Whatever his basis, this sounds like more complexity and confusion in what is an over-2000-page bill that, frankly, seems rushed to meet an arbitrary deadline.
I trust you have made known your recommendation to listen to caregivers and citing the report you reference and hope that these helpful and more affordable alternatives. Legislators might well just be able to bask in the glow of the mission-of-mercy they passed but with a reasonable price tag (an Obama-esque melding of idealism and pragmatism?)
Lastly, I had tears in my eyes reading your account of you and your family's personal caregiving experience. Bless you and Merry Christmas.

Richard Palzer of IL 6:01PM December 23, 2009