#Senior Care

[listen-to-the-unheard]

The Onion Rocks!

[reasonsforhope]

"Vice President Kamala Harris is proposing to provide federal funding to cover home care costs for older Americans, aiming to help the “ sandwich generation " of adults caring for aging parents while raising their children at the same time.

Appearing Tuesday on ABC’s “The View,” Harris talked about taking care of her mother when she was dying and personally experiencing the challenges many families face when seeking affordable in-home care for their aging loved ones.

She promised that if, elected in November, she will seek to expand Medicare, the federal health insurance program for older Americans, so that it covers long-term care and includes services like in-home aides. Harris said aides could help seniors do things as simple as preparing meals or putting on sweaters because it is “about dignity for that individual. It’s about independence for that individual.”

Her proposal is a new one just a month out from Election Day but the issue is one that President Joe Biden's administration has been working on for years.

In an effort to soften the effects of inflation, the White House promoted as part of Build Back Better, its legislative agenda that stalled on Capitol Hill years ago, steeply increased federal spending for child care as well as for seniors. After Build Back Better collapsed, the Biden administration continued to promote increasing spending for what it calls “the care economy,” a cause Harris has continued to mention after replacing Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket.

“These plans are common sense. They can help family caregivers work and save both families and the federal government money by allowing seniors to stay in their homes instead of being sent to nursing homes,” the Harris campaign said in a fact sheet detailing her proposal. “Medicare at Home will also reduce hospitalizations.”

As part of a blitz of media interviews she’s been doing in recent days, Harris sat down after her appearance on “The View” with radio personality Howard Stern, who said that his mother is 97. Taking care of an elderly parent, he said, “will bankrupt you.”

Such costs have increased pressure on adults caring for their parents and kids simultaneously. In 2019, roughly 30% of family caregivers of older Americans lived in households that included children or grandchildren, according to AARP.

Harris would likely have to work with Congress to achieve key parts of her proposal. Harris’ campaign points to past, similar proposals projected to cost $40 billion annually, but says much of that can be offset by savings achieved through efforts begun by the Biden administration to expand Medicare’s ability to negotiation prices with major drug manufacturers.

Harris is also promising to further expand Medicare to include hearing and vision coverage, while changing existing rules that can allow federal authorities to seize a deceased beneficiary’s home to recuperate costs. [Note: I'm sorry the current rules fucking what] The campaign fact sheet says that practice “means that those homes are not passed on to the seniors’ children, which particularly harms rural and minority families.”"

-via AP News, October 8, 2024

[thashining]

My mother was diagnosed with cancer when I was the district attorney of San Francisco. I remember cooking meals for her and taking her to her appointments. I did what I could to make her comfortable. I figured out which clothes were soft enough that they wouldn't irritate her, and told her stories to try and make her laugh.

Caregiving is about dignity—not just for the patient, but also for the caregiver. We must lower the costs and ease the burdens faced by our caregivers to make it easier for them to provide care while pursuing their aspirations.

Today, I am announcing a new historic Medicare at Home benefit as part of my plan to help families with caregiving needs and strengthen Medicare for the long-term. Over 67 million people are covered by Medicare, yet many Americans don’t realize that Medicare does not cover long-term services and assistance like home health aides.

As a result, many American families face challenging and sometimes impossible choices.

My plan will strengthen Medicare to cover home care services and support for seniors. This will include providing care workers with better wages, improving the quality of care for seniors and those with disabilities, and treating our seniors with the dignity they deserve.

Kamala Harris

[afriblaq]

Black Health

@theconciouslee

[alibabe48]

Actual evidence of me shuffling along to a playdate in my senior years 😂..🕉️

[billionbrilliantstars]

VP Kamala Harris will create an economy of care!

[burnttoastbrainstorm]

Rtgame is my favorite senior streamer

[kali-writes-meta]

Eldercare and Trump Worship

We think a lot about how to turn people away from Trump, but there's one aspect of Trump's appeal to his oldest followers that's been overlooked. It's a truism of eldercare that anything that engages the interest of the elderly helps keep them alive and healthy. It doesn't matter if it's hobbies, community service, exercise, church, pets, or whatever, if they have something to look forward to they keep going longer. There's numerous studies to back this conclusion up. Well, like it or not, this fact has to apply to Trumpism as well. Their interest in Trump, devotion to Trump, is keeping them active and engaged. No matter how much harm it's doing our country and our world, on a personal level that commitment to Trump has to be improving the health and longevity of his senior citizen followers. Which means that even though his policies may hurt their friends, family, and themselves, they are going to fight for him as if their life depends on it, because on a strictly personal level their life DOES depend on it.

This subliminal awareness presents a huge obstacle in weaning senior citizens off Trump. Disengaging from Trumpism is disengaging from the thing that's keeping them going. Without it, from their perspective, what reason do they have to keep on living? That's a deadly question at their age.

It's not enough to just say that the world and their life would be a better place without Trump, we have to actively paint a vision of HOW the world and their life would be a better place without Trump. And then we have to actively SELL that vision. Until we offer them a vision of the America more lively, interesting and engaging to them than Trump's, they have a vested interest in not making the switch.

We've given America hope before. We must do it again.

[inside0ut-dotnet]

Approximately 2.4 million people 65+ in the U.S. identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). These individuals, sometimes referred to as GenSilent or the Silent Generation, face unique challenges as they age, particularly when it comes to long-term care and healthcare needs.

LGBTQ seniors often experience discrimination, financial constraints, and a lack of family support as they navigate the aging process. These factors can contribute to feelings of isolation and invisibility within the community.

Groups for LGBTQ older adults, such as www.sageusa.org, are dedicated to addressing these challenges. These programs offer connection, resources, and support to older LGBTQ individuals, helping them forge chosen families and create a sense of belonging.

SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) provides a wide range of services, including social activities, support groups, healthcare assistance, and advocacy efforts. These resources are designed to empower LGBTQ seniors and improve their quality of life as they age.

By participating in 'Rainbow Seniors' programs like those offered by SAGE, LGBTQ older adults can find a sense of community, access vital resources, and combat the challenges they face as they grow older. These initiatives are essential in ensuring that all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can age with dignity and support.

[wintvies]

@yuriiofthevalley our elderly ballistic looking egg with arthritis 💗

[listen-to-the-unheard]

Cherokee Reservation near Watts, OK.

The gnarled branches and roots of an Eastern Red Cedar cling tenuously to life on a rugged hillside. As a non-native species, it is considered an invasive nuisance. Eastern red cedar trees compete with native grasses and trees for nutrients and water, inhibiting the growth of some prairie species. This leads to reduced diversity and abundance of birds and small mammals. Nevertheless, the colors and textures are lovely. I have special affection for trees. These are in my top 5.

[lemonbombsfjl]

VP Kamala Harris will create an economy of care! 🫶💙

I know from personal experience how much this issue matters to you all.

Please share so others know this welcome change is coming!

[thashining]

Caretakers

[ohiomedicareplansposts]

[seniormatchsite]

meet senior singles on our site

[billionbrilliantstars]

VP Kamala Harris knows our seniors deserve dignity and care.