My bread and butter often involves writing stories about long-term care insurance, elder care and senior issues. Yet my own grandmother did not have long-term care insurance.
Let me preface this by saying my grandmother reared me. She is my mom. Without her my sister and I probably would have been shuffled through the foster care system.
Over the past few weeks I have had to wrestle with the guilt of “sticking” her in a nursing home. I am three hours away. If I had my way, and could make all my student loans disappear and all my responsibilities disappear, I would be there with her — I would be taking care of her, not some strangers who, from what I’ve witnessed, shove her in front of a television to pass the day away.
It’s a sad, lonely procession. A bunch of wheelchairs in a row, watching a television program that is typically about Jesus being cruxified. More importantly, wheelchairs that are filled by more-than-half-empty people who appear to have been discarded. Forgotten by family members, husbands have passed on, friends no longer visit.
After my grandmother got out of the hospital (she survived her second bout with pneumonia), I was asked by the case manager assigned to her: “Does she have the $4,000 a month to pay for her care?”
Stupid question. Yes, we all just have $4,000 PER MONTH lying around. Here, I’ll give you that $4,000 to cover this month. Oh, heck, why don’t I just give you the full $48,000 in one lump sum since I just have it sitting around?
I don’t know a lot of people who could afford that. And this nursing home is in podunks-ville Nebraska. Pop: 800. Not counting the hogs and horses. Facilities in other places cost twice as much.
The case manager went on to say that after my grandmother/mom exhausted Medicare, she would have to either leave or get on Medicaid. To get on Medicaid, she would have to sell her house AND deplete her assets. See the sad circle we all keep walking round and round in?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Social welfare is non-existent in this country.
Now, more and more people, primarily the Baby Boomer generation, are opting for long-term care insurance. Only because they saw their parents go through what I am seeing my grandmother go through. Their parents didn’t have a plan. They had a casket and funeral paid for by Medicaid, yet no house or other assets to pass on to their grandchildren.
The only answer is to dig into already depleted resources, and start investing in such insurance at an age where the cost won’t be quite so exorbitant.
Our grandparents and parents never really considered long-term care insurance. Yet they were members of the Greatest Generation. Their values built this country, for good or for bad, but mostly for good. My grandfather was 14 when he went to work and live on his own. He fought in the Pacific Theatre, and watched many men (boys, actually) die. How many people now would be able to handle that, and at such a young age?
The survivors of that generation are now, many of them, penniless, sitting in a procession of wheelchairs, watching TVLand.
At least they have Medicaid.
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