Community Chat

[Deb1010again]

I'm watching CBS Sunday Morning and they just said that 70% of people over age 65 will need care before the end of their lives. Many don't have the financial resources. It's going to be a crisis with people living longer.

They're talking about the Village Network. Where people help each other and allow people to stay in their own homes w/out being dependent on children. I think one of our members here belong to one in Washington DC. Sounds like a GREAT idea.

[chrystaltree]

That percentage sounds very high. But I'm not terribly concerned with something that might happen 30 years from now. One reason why we have decided to work until we are 70 or even 72 God willing, is to prepare for our TRUE old age. Work, save, secure investments. I know some people retire the very second they are eligible, 62 or even in their 50s if they work for the city or the state. They never consider that their retirement check will not keep pace with the cost of living. They never consider that they will need more money the older they get. Early retirement is disaster waiting to happen for many. We are relatively young, 54, but we've been saving for a secure and comfortable, independent old age since we finished paying college tuition for our girls and we will continue to do so. Depending on strangers burdening our children is not an option. Not for us.

[LilacTree]

Last year I was in the hospital for two weeks (not consecutively) and one week in rehab. I also had several weeks of rehab nurses coming to my home after that.

The nurses in the hospital did their job. Some were upbeat, some were kind, but none were negative.

The rehab nurses and specialists at the facility were especially kind to all of the patients.

The rehab people who came to my home hated their jobs (I don't suppose they are paid well), spent half the time here that they were supposed to spend. Out of the three, two told me they were leaving the next week, and one told me today was her last day. All they did was complain how much they hated their jobs. None of them stayed more than 20 minutes, and I would not have trusted them for one minute without my eyes upon them.

Therefore, I would not want strangers taking care of me in my home. That is my takeaway on that issue.

Now you say, Deb10, that it's "people helping each other," and I'm not sure I know what that means. I hope you can explain that to me, because that's a different concept than I have experienced. I am not sure how old, sick people can help old, sick people.

[Perhaps I'm not understanding the concept.]

[Deb1010again]

On 10/19/2014 Ford1224 said:

Last year I was in the hospital for two weeks (not consecutively) and one week in rehab. I also had several weeks of rehab nurses coming to my home after that.

The nurses in the hospital did their job. Some were upbeat, some were kind, but none were negative.

The rehab nurses and specialists at the facility were especially kind to all of the patients.

The rehab people who came to my home hated their jobs (I don't suppose they are paid well), spent half the time here that they were supposed to spend. Out of the three, two told me they were leaving the next week, and one told me today was her last day. All they did was complain how much they hated their jobs. None of them stayed more than 20 minutes, and I would not have trusted them for one minute without my eyes upon them.

Therefore, I would not want strangers taking care of me in my home. That is my takeaway on that issue.

Now you say, Deb10, that it's "people helping each other," and I'm not sure I know what that means. I hope you can explain that to me, because that's a different concept than I have experienced. I am not sure how old, sick people can help old, sick people.

[Perhaps I'm not understanding the concept.]

Good Morning Ford! Here's their website and it explains...

http://www.beaconhillvillage.org/

[LilacTree]

On 10/19/2014 Deb1010again said:

On 10/19/2014 Ford1224 said:

Last year I was in the hospital for two weeks (not consecutively) and one week in rehab. I also had several weeks of rehab nurses coming to my home after that.

The nurses in the hospital did their job. Some were upbeat, some were kind, but none were negative.

The rehab nurses and specialists at the facility were especially kind to all of the patients.

The rehab people who came to my home hated their jobs (I don't suppose they are paid well), spent half the time here that they were supposed to spend. Out of the three, two told me they were leaving the next week, and one told me today was her last day. All they did was complain how much they hated their jobs. None of them stayed more than 20 minutes, and I would not have trusted them for one minute without my eyes upon them.

Therefore, I would not want strangers taking care of me in my home. That is my takeaway on that issue.

Now you say, Deb10, that it's "people helping each other," and I'm not sure I know what that means. I hope you can explain that to me, because that's a different concept than I have experienced. I am not sure how old, sick people can help old, sick people.

[Perhaps I'm not understanding the concept.]

Good Morning Ford! Here's their website and it explains...

http://www.beaconhillvillage.org/

This is a wonderful concept for folks far more able-bodied than I am. It's very affordable and they have a extensive program. I hope it grows across the country to small neighborhoods where there isn't a lot of traveling involved. It would not help me at the stage I am at, unfortunately. I am far more disabled than most of these folks seem to be, plus I am not that "socially" inclined. I'm on the reclusive side for the most part.

However, again, this is a good program that's happening for those who are still physically able to carry on with so much activity, and I'm sure for folks in their 50s, 60s, and early 70s, (and fairly healthy 80s) is probably a godsend. Very interesting. Thank you for posting, Deb10.

[baddest_dog]

I really don't read these kinds of articles. While you're looking into the future and agonizing about what may be, you are not living in the present. this is my hero.

[millieshops]

Want to be scared even more? As someone already over 70, I don't doubt that statistic. I see it all around me among my own family and my friends.

Scariest thing to me is the statistic I hear the elder-care lawyers in my area using; that is, a year in a skilled nursing home costs $144,000 and some hundreds per year. Even if that's inflated 10%, that still means $130,000 a year with the average stay being about 3 years. It doesn't matter whether that's paid privately and with LTC or it's paid publically via Medicaid (at somewhat less), we're talking a huge drain on our personal and national resources.

I know there are area and even whole states where the costs are much less, but should I end up in assisted living or a nursing home, do I want that place to be thousands of miles from anyone I know? Horrific thought to me!

[Qwackertoo]

We've been extremely fortunate with the care of my Father and that he is still in his own home. My Mother died before him, ovarian cancer, always thought he'd be the first to go based on family history and lifestyle . . . he smoked for many years.

For a couple of years, my brothers son and at one time two of them, were living with him and attending college. Then one moved out and got married. Then the other moved out. Now the married one returned with his wife and finished his last year of college and they are still there, been there one year as of July, and have paid off her student loans and now working on his and building their savings account.

Win-Win for everybody. They can save some money for down payment on a house and pay off those student loans . . . and he isn't alone 24x7.

He goes out of town for the weekend every once in awhile to visit his brother or a weekend getaway to their Spring and Fall big fishing trips . . . they do getaways too . . . so they all have some away and private time too.

[LilacTree]

On 10/19/2014 baddest_dog said:

I really don't read these kinds of articles. While you're looking into the future and agonizing about what may be, you are not living in the present. this is my hero.

You obviously have no idea how fast you're going to get there. If you're 50+ your next 15-20 years is going to fly by at warp speed.

I am grateful for every day I'm here as I feel I have lived well beyond what I thought I would. I don't contemplate the future because the future is now for me. Yes, live for now. But don't be complacent about it . . . no one is guaranteed a long life.

[VioletEyes]

On 10/19/2014 baddest_dog said:

I really don't read these kinds of articles. While you're looking into the future and agonizing about what may be, you are not living in the present. this is my hero.

It was on a television program and full of doom and gloom. The busy bodies of the community would have a really fun last few years but for those of us who value our privacy, it would be a nightmare come true.

I love your caption and I agree with you.