America Is Running Out of Family Caregivers, Just When It Needs Them Most

Very good article, “America Is Running Out of Family Caregivers, Just When It Needs Them Most,” by Clare Ansberry, Wall Street Journal details the severe need for people to plan ahead for their own care.

“For generations, the nation has relied on family members to keep aging loved ones in their homes. Today, many Americans are growing older without family nearby, offering a glimpse of what the future may hold for the cohort of Americans who are approaching retirement. The caregiving crunch comes at a time when Americans reaching retirement age are in a squeeze unseen in generations. Their median incomes, including Social Security and retirement fund receipts, haven’t risen in years. They have high average debt, some incurred from taking care of their own aging parents. And if they’re counting on family to care for them, too, they may well find their families too small and far-flung to meet the task.”

This is a very detailed and long article illustrating what we have been promoting for years.

From diminishing number of children to the fact that we live in a dual income society, we cannot depend upon our children to take care of us when we get older and become frail.  Plan ahead and take responsibility for your own care by purchasing a LTC policy.