|
FACE THE FACTS - Every Canadian Needs to Plan for His/Her Long-Term Care Time of Life!
by: Patricia L. Randall
FACE THE FACTS!
Long-term care is not a sexy, glamorous or trendy issue -- it is a complex problem with the ability to devastate families emotionally and financially
Care-years planning is not considered a major component of lifestyle or retirement planning -- it is an urgent one that cannot be overlooked by adult Canadians in our turbulent, ever-changing environment.
Long-term care insurance is not a frill, accessory or supplementary product — it is a ‘must-have’ necessity element for anyone 40 years and older.
READ THE TRENDS!
Over the next 25 years, 1 in 4 Canadians will be over 60--this population movement is influencing the design of everything around us.
By 2010, 60% of boomers over 50 years old will have a surviving parent (versus only 16% in 1960)—our ‘Gucci’ boomer generation will be able to demand, as they have throughout their journey due to their size, quality resources and services (for their aging parents).
The first round of Canada ’s 10 million Baby boomers will reach the age of 65 over the next decade, significantly swelling the masses of our senior population beginning in 2011—the need for care services will see a dramatic rise and will continue to increase for the next 4 decades during this age-wave.
In 2016, Canada will experience a ‘phenomenon’ never recorded before, we will have far more seniors than children (age 14 and under) in our country—the change will be visible in the economic and social fabrics of our provinces.
1 in 5 Canadians 45 years and older provides care to a senior at present—the care-issue will become even more ‘visible’ over the next 3 decades peaking in 2035 when our provinces will experience the highest demand for care as baby boomers close- in on 75.
One seldom mentioned fact is that increasingly in our country, parents and their children will be seniors ‘at the very same time’—since current research tells us that the health of those seniors providing care (whether an offspring or a spouse) is greatly at risk, the question will be where to turn for help and/or how to finance such assistance.
Working-caregivers, who are juggling care responsibilities plus work duties, cost Canadian employers $16 billion per year—not only should caregiving be recognized now as an important workplace issue as 66% of informal caregivers are still in the workforce, but also it is destined to be less-silent in the near future with HR departments forced to deal with its impact (watch for the term ‘caregiver glass-ceiling’).
Seniors are our country’s fastest growing population group with the number of persons aged 65 and over expected to double from nearly 4 million in 2000 to almost 8 million by 2026 with the most rapidly growing age group the 80 year old and older— given that less than 10% of long-term-care in our country takes place in a nursing home, with most LTC taking place in a private home by family and friends as caregivers; given that maintaining one’s independence within one’s own home is ranked as a number one priority by seniors; and given that long-term-care expenses and time have a potentially crippling impact on a family, long-term care insurance will become a priority for adult Canadians.
CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES!
We don’t believe we are growing that old .
We believe that our governments will provide the services we need for our loved ones and ourselves if required.
We think our spouses and our children will help take care of us.
We say we will worry about the problem when the time comes.
Bottom-line: We simply don’t believe there is a need to plan, there is a complete ‘disconnect’ on this issue -- we need to be educated about the risks we face.
ACT ON THE OPPORTUNITY —NOW!
Develop a care-plan….no surprises when we are least able to deal with them!
Patricia L. Randall is the author of: “Let’s Talk—The Care-Years…Taking Care Of Our Parents/Planning For Ourselves”
First of its kind in Canada - Written by a Canadian, for Canadians Based on one family’s personal journey.
|
