11-26-1984 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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FORCES OF CHANGE: WHOSE PROBLEM, WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY? This report has locused on public costs for long -terra care. the growth in public responsibility for care of the elderly, and the drffir ullres foreseen in maintaining Mon nesota s long-term care systern Today's long -terra care system is out of balance and out of step with ,he needs and preferences of moss Minne- sota families As things stand now, publicly supported programs emphasize rnslotur,onal care and provide assistance only after individuals have spent nearly at; of tnerr savings on such costly rns!ilut,onal care Once an ,ndovrdual becomes a public resoonsrbrlrty. a life-long dependency relationship with the government is established As Minnesotans we place a high value on our indepen- dence and our ability to care for ourselves and our fami- bes Thrs desire for self - sufficiency is an important asset as our search intensifies for solutions to the impending long-term care crisis While government s rote will always be to care for the poor. most families would rather not look toward public assistance as an answer The elderly population of the future will not be like our stereotype of today s elderly —poor and isolated. Tomor- roh, s elderly demographers say will be more educated and affluent and increasingly determined to preserve and arotect their health their assets and their independence They will be increasingly determined to exercise their cnorces about the kind of care they will receive and :, nor -re they will live %P.v consumer and n3rketing possibilities can be envo- oned as responses to the aging of our population This could benefit government. taxpayers and elderly consum- e-s and their families by making available services and croducts which could enable many older people to ,emaon self-sufficient FOR EXAMPLE Long -tern, care insurance could be developed which would pool the risk of chronic impairment to help people protect and prese>'velMe+r estates Other than Medicaid no ►hold -party ►ermbarmooment exists to cover most long !elm care costs, exosrrng insurance programs cover acute inpatient .rod outpatient care only Long-term care •nsurancu c" quid be an alternative to the public funding of cog -term care services Consumers. by purchasing _rig -term care insurance beginning in middle age. would be able to privately finance their long-term care a Equ►ly conversion plans could he developed and mat, «eted to he,p some homeowners rem,.,rn in their own homes and have!,: source of income with which l,o purchase home care as well as properly maintain their homes Carefully designed, home equity conversion plans could provide a needed financial cushion, allev+ah� constant anxiety about money, and even provide for supportive care without forcing older homeowners to deplete all of heir resoruces in order to quality for public assistance . Tax deferred savings accounts dedicated to long-term care could be developed to encourage people to set aside money for care needed later Unused monies rn such accounts could be returned to a person's estate, thereby creating the incentive to use costly rnsatutional care only as a last resort. . More housing alternatives which would bridge the gap between independent loving and a nursing home are needed Such housing could be designed flexibly to accommodate "aging in place " . Services to provide relief to families could be devel- o:)Pd and marketed to extend the time families wnuld con.trnue to provide care and support to their dependent spouses or parents Such respite services might include adult day-care. electronic personal emergency response systems, home health aide service and support groups for famdv caregivers . Corporate self-help networks of retied employees could be developed to survey the needs of their members and provide information and assistance Such networks could by used to facilitate many needed ser- vices amcng retirees, such as house sharing ransporta- tion, and help with home repairs . "High-tech" biomedical products could be developed which wog',; increase the self-sufficiency of impaired people and decrease their needs for constant medical care and supervision New technologies could be ap- plied for example, to ►he problems of incontinence and mental impairments two of the major causes of rns:+lu- tionalizat+on in old urge Clearly there is no one solutrmnlm-1111O npendrng crisis in long-term care Adjustments rn aN .institutions will be needed in order to cope with increased longevity and the effects of medical advances in our society Moreover the net result of developing and financing alternatives to institutional care may be an increase in total casts for long-term care. at least on the short rut; In the long run, however, this course must be followed it we are to ade- quately meel the needs that can be anticipated as a result of the rapid growth in the elderly population