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I'm a caregiver/provider for special needs and disabled people, and I do agree that we are underpaid for the amount of stuff we do; that includes every aspect of giving care/quality of life to a human being, community outings and daily activities, doctor appointment transportation.
The problem I see is that one 'class' of people (perhaps each with perfectly valid appeals) after another proposes this solution and if they are accommodated, eventually everyone in the country lives on a stipend from the government every year (in which case where does the government even get the $ to pay those?). It is not just about caregivers.
The problem is that it has never been about caregivers at all. Their interests and their own future welfare have been almost completely ignored. At most what they might ask, is that they be brought just a little bit closer towards what might be a survivable level of Social Security benefits. The bill in Congress that has brought out such opposition, would provide no more than a pitiful little increase, estimated to average no more than $500. per year for the few who would qualify.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve McDonald
You seem to be saying that those who have depleted themselves by caring for others, should look hopefully for some magical source of income, that will not come from the government or any other known earthly entity.
It's amusing these unintentional "caregivers" never say a word to their family members until it's too late and they get hit with a ton of bricks. Then OMG OMG somebody has to support us.
MEANWHILE:
Nita Lowey is a RADICAL open borders activist with the WORST POSSIBLE disgraceful record on Immigration. And by IMMIGRATION I mean including flooding the country with STEM workers on legal H1Bs.
She's been doing this since the 1990s. She EVEN voted against a simple bill requiring some accountability by EMPLOYERS of illegals. AND against ANY control of the flood of illegals coming to AMERICAN HOSPITALS FOR TREATMENT.
The ONE TIME she voted to do ANYTHING at the border was to gun run INTO Mexico. Operation Armas Cruzadas. Resulting in deaths of MX and US citizens AND border guards. HELLO? Fast & Furious? Remember that? The SCAM intended to claim that US guns were killing Mexicans - to further the gun grab agenda - but the government got CAUGHT.
But that's great you're willing to destroy the country and your family for some CRUMBS from her.
With any luck, she'll have 90% of the country on government dependency. /sarc
I'm glad that you've given us this information about Rep. Nita Lowey. I had never heard of her before. But from your description, she sounds like a good and decent person. Obviously, the voters of her district in New York recognize this, as they've been re-electing her for many years. If there were more like her in our Congress, the country might be able to turn in a better direction and serve the interests of some others besides the wealthiest 20%. In other words, the interests of those whose hard work has been used to make those 20% so affluent.
At age 50, I left a good career in banking (bank manager) because all four parents/inlaws were "going down" and needed more and more attention and support. Thankfully my husband's career was doing well so it wasn't a big financial hit to us, but it WAS a hit to my own career momentum.
Now I am 54 and two of the four parents have passed away, and two more are experiencing ongoing and growing health problems. So there's no end in sight for me. Meanwhile, good luck to me picking up where I left off when I'm 58 or 60. Basically I'm retired - just without the 15 additional years of retirement savings.
That being said, I don't think the answer is yet another government handout or an additional Social Security benefit from work that didn't create any additional tax revenue. Until we fix the Medicaid and Medicare issues that we already have, and cut the fat and waste from existing government programs, I don't see adding more to an already bloated system that is not self sustaining.
An additional frustration - where I live the emphasis is on children. Adults are left to fend for themselves regardless of their circumstances. There is no help for caregivers, but lots of programs for children.
The problem is that it has never been about caregivers at all. Their interests and their own future welfare have been almost completely ignored. At most what they might ask, is that they be brought just a little bit closer towards what might be a survivable level of Social Security benefits. The bill in Congress that has brought out such opposition, would provide no more than a pitiful little increase, estimated to average no more than $500. per year for the few who would qualify.
Caregivers are invisible to most. When I was in the throes of it very rarely did anyone ever ask "how are you doing?" it was always "how is your father?". Sure every once in awhile someone would say "you're a good son for doing this", but that was rare.
So when people you know don't even acknowledge what a caregiver does(I really believe unless you have done it, you don't get it), how will anyone else.
What you said is so true.
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Originally Posted by KathrynAragon
I fall into this category to a tee.
At age 50, I left a good career in banking (bank manager) because all four parents/inlaws were "going down" and needed more and more attention and support. Thankfully my husband's career was doing well so it wasn't a big financial hit to us, but it WAS a hit to my own career momentum.
Now I am 54 and two of the four parents have passed away, and two more are experiencing ongoing and I left off when I'm 58 or 60. Basically I'm retired - just without the 15 additional years of retirement savings.
That being said, I don't think the answer is yet another government handout or an additional Social Security benefit from work that didn't create any additional tax revenue. Until we fix the Medicaid and growing health problems. So there's no end in sight for me. Meanwhile, good luck to me picking up whereMedicare issues that we already have, and cut the fat and waste from existing government programs, I don't see adding more to an already bloated system that is not self sustaining.
It's a hot mess.
Well we give handouts to women who keep having babies they can't afford, we have people collecting disability who could work, etc. Caregivers earn their keep. For most it's 24/7, 7 days a week.
Why not a program that looks at that cost/benefit to pay a family member to keep the loved one at home vs. going into a nursing home where they could end up on Medicaid anyway?
I'm 56. I actually do fear for the future…when in 30 years when many late baby-boomers may need care.
I hope we get some intelligent solutions to the health care/caregiving issues in this country, or they -- not to mention those coming behind them (us) -- may be more scr ew ed, desperate, exhausted, frustrated and in need than people are now.
I'll look into that group that was quoted in a link that was posted earlier in the thread. But I don't know if it's an advocacy group, per se. Versus just "informational."
I'm no AARP fan really. Don't even get me started on that. But where is THAT group in all of this conversation?
Agree or disagree with some of its positions - -- at least it's already a formed group that - uses its "political muscle."
It needs to do more on THIS issue, and perhaps not some others.
Caregiving for young and old touches so many MILLIONS of Americans -- AND so many SECTORS…IS there a COALITION of groups working together on this? It's not just a health care issue. It's labor force, earnings, retirement, economy, safety net -- AND health care and insurance.
Caregivers are invisible to most. When I was in the throes of it very rarely did anyone ever ask "how are you doing?" it was always "how is your father?". Sure every once in awhile someone would say "you're a good son for doing this", but that was rare.
So when people you know don't even acknowledge what a caregiver does(I really believe unless you have done it, you don't get it), how will anyone else.
What you said is so true.
Well we give handouts to women who keep having babies they can't afford, we have people collecting disability who could work, etc. Caregivers earn their keep. For most it's 24/7, 7 days a week.
Why not a program that looks at that cost/benefit to pay a family member to keep the loved one at home vs. going into a nursing home where they could end up on Medicaid anyway?
Because, that is counter to our current way of thinking in this country.
If the country heads in a more democratic socialist direction (i.e. the dread Nanny state) - then perhaps such ways of thinking will get some traction.
But at the moment, we live in a "only take care of someone if they're destitute, and only then if they're destitute for *noble* reasons, and then only offer the bare minimum to such people (because we want being poor to be miserable, else everyone will volunterily become poor)
Also, a humble suggestion that if you know someone fraudulently collecting SSDI - you report them.
As far as giving handouts to parents that keep having babies they can't afford - not sure which handout that is? EITC? I'm sure that # of children probably does make a difference to that calculation (because it's based on poverty rates and household size factors in). There's really not much in welfare programs any more (TANF is limited and has a lifetime limit of about 48 months, and requires work) - SNAP? That's food assistance, but isn't cash (and it's a very limited amount).
I think we could help family (unpaid) caregivers, I think as some of the earlier posts suggest - it would get complicated quickly. It would mean legally defining "caregiving" and there would be arguments over the definition. Mostly, I wish there was help for our loved ones requiring care (more affordable benefits available to them) - which might help to lessen the burden required of family members.
But I don't think we're anywhere close to living in such a utopian world.
Which is why I never (on this board or in reality) suggest anyone quit their job to caregive. It's ludicrous and you're destroying your future. Better your loved one go to a nursing home, than you destroy your own ability to survive in retirement (if you even are lucky enough to retire). I would do anything to help my dad, short of that line - because in losing those maximum earning years, you destroy your future social security benefits (not to mention the lost income in real time).
There are 300 million people in the united states - give or take a few million.
This means that 1/3 of these are out of work? How many people are eligible to work? Working age?
IIRC it includes retirees (which is why the figure is currently so large - boomers) as well as students - college for sure, perhaps high school as well, unpaid interns, and people in full-time volunteer programs such as Americorps. It also includes people on disability and stay-at-home parents. So a huge portion of the figure are people who aren't, and many who realistically cannot, be jobseekers at present.
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