Despite the dangers of an aging population and underfunded retirement programs, politicians continue to ignore the risks of long-term care costs and health care costs, writes Jeffrey Lewis of Legacy Health Endowment. California, in particular, will feel the brunt of the demographic changes, with 70 percent of Californians over the age of 65 set to need long-term care support. These seniors lack the financial savings to pay for health care and caregiver services, with the next generation set to finance their needs. Furthermore, the strain on federal and states budgets will limit the ability to provide support to aging Californians and their families. The long-term care model currently in place is outdated, while little preparation has been to support the aging baby boomer generation. As the next generation financial backs their parents’ generation, so too will their retirement planning be compromised. In a recent article published by Forbes, author Robert Reich noted that “Social Security benefits are not enough to cover all retirees who want or need care. In California however, the West Health Foundation in San Diego is leading the way in ensuring that Californian seniors’ needs are catered for. To this end, Gary West recently announced a nonpartisan public awareness and education campaign called We Stand with Seniors… Will You?. The campaign’s aim is to inform gubernatorial candidates and state lawmakers of the impending crisis and provoke the required response. Recent work by the campaign has produced two significant results. The first is that 64 percent of voters have anxiety about the state’s lack of action. Secondly that 86 percent of voters believe in programs that promote community-based care to elderly families and children of aging parents. It is hard to underestimate the value of the West Health campaign according to Jeffrey Lewis. However, the issues facing California are also prevalent across the US. Almost 10,000 adults turn 65 each day, doubling the number of retirees who will require long term care by 2050. Despite this, Congress and many state legislatures remain apathetic to the risks and focus instead upon the issues surrounding Obamacare. Without a viable infrastructure for providing senior independence, there will continue to be a large portion of seniors who must rely on already over-stretched family members for long-term care, putting into peril the next As a result, purposeful action and the planning of a long-term aging plan in California is an absolute necessity. The aging of the population is the greatest challenge facing America and without action soon, the country will be stretched beyond repair.
Despite the dangers of an aging population and underfunded retirement programs, politicians continue to ignore the risks of long-term care costs and health care costs, writes Jeffrey Lewis of Legacy Health Endowment. California, in particular, will feel the brunt of the demographic changes, with 70 percent of Californians over the age of 65 set to need long-term care support. These seniors lack the financial savings to pay for health care and caregiver services, with the next generation set to finance their needs. Furthermore, the strain on federal and states budgets will limit the ability to provide support to aging Californians and their families. The long-term care model currently in place is outdated, while little preparation has been to support the aging baby boomer generation. As the next generation financial backs their parents’ generation, so too will their retirement planning be compromised. In a recent article published by Forbes, author Robert Reich noted that “Social Security benefits are not enough to cover all retirees who want or need care. In California however, the West Health Foundation in San Diego is leading the way in ensuring that Californian seniors’ needs are catered for. To this end, Gary West recently announced a nonpartisan public awareness and education campaign called We Stand with Seniors… Will You?. The campaign’s aim is to inform gubernatorial candidates and state lawmakers of the impending crisis and provoke the required response. Recent work by the campaign has produced two significant results. The first is that 64 percent of voters have anxiety about the state’s lack of action. Secondly that 86 percent of voters believe in programs that promote community-based care to elderly families and children of aging parents. It is hard to underestimate the value of the West Health campaign according to Jeffrey Lewis. However, the issues facing California are also prevalent across the US. Almost 10,000 adults turn 65 each day, doubling the number of retirees who will require long term care by 2050. Despite this, Congress and many state legislatures remain apathetic to the risks and focus instead upon the issues surrounding Obamacare. As a result, purposeful action and the planning of a long-term aging plan in California is an absolute necessity. The aging of the population is the greatest challenge facing America and without action soon, the country will be stretched beyond repair.