Family members who take care of those who otherwise
would be in nursing homes or in some other state or
federal facility or program are saving taxpayers in
Florida an estimated $17.5 billion a year.
Nationally, family caregivers save taxpayers an
estimated $350 billion, an amount compared to the annual
sales of retail giant Wal-Mart.
Those 2006 figures are the result of a just released
study by the AARP which found that family members who
provide long-term care have an impact on the economy in
many ways beyond the actual work they do in tending to
the needs of those with Alzheimer's or other prolonged
illnesses often associated with the elderly.
Among other things, family caregivers earn less and
produce less because of forced changes in work patterns,
according to the AARP Public Policy Institute study,
"Valuing the Invaluable: A New Look at the Economic
Value of Family Caregiving." One out of five of all
workers in this country is looking after the long-term
care requirements of a family member - be it a
grandparent, parent, sibling, child, aunt or uncle. Most
of those caregivers are women who have jobs.
More than 9 of 10 of those involved in the most intense
caregiving responsibilities report major changes in
their work patterns. At least 8 of 10 say they arrive
late to work, leave early or take time off during the
day to tend to family members needing long-term care.
Some 4 of 10 listed taking a leave of absence and nearly
that many included shifting from full-time to part-time
work among the changes they have made to carry out their
caretaking duties.
That means reduced job security, loss of employment
benefits like health insurance, lower retirement savings
and Social Security earnings, the study points out. In
addition, it is estimated that U.S. businesses lose as
much as $33 billion a year in productivity because of
the situation.
No small consideration is the fact that the health of
the caregivers themselves, because of those
responsibilities, is more likely to suffer chronic
health problems and incur more medical debt than
non-caregivers. In fact, the AARP study notes that the
main factor in the decision of the elderly to enter or
be placed in a nursing facility is caregiver burn out.
"Family caregivers are the unsung heroes of long-term
care in our state," said Lori Parham, director of AARP
in Florida where 2.8 million men and women are members
of the organization for those 50 years of age or older.
Because what caregivers do can delay or even prevent
more costly nursing home care, they are sparing state
taxpayers "staggering expenditures" of scarce public
resources like Medicaid dollars ($16 billion budgeted
for Florida in the 2007-2008 fiscal year), she added.
Therefore, finding ways for the government to give some
support to those providing family care is one of the
goals of AARP in Florida, noted Parham, because it not
only would help older folks and their caregivers but
also would aid businesses and taxpayers.
Next year, she said, AARP in Florida will launch a
multi-year campaign to help families plan early for
long-term care by educating them about where to find
critical information about illnesses, support groups,
high quality care options, and possible financial aid.
Parham said AARP Florida will be monitoring pilot
programs in Orlando and Miami, called Florida Senior
Care (FSC), under which Medicaid will finance long-term
care through a HMO-type organizations for those who
choose those options.
Adon Taft is a resident of Brooksville. If you have
questions about any issues connected with aging, except
medical conditions, please write to Life to the Fullest,
Hernando Today, 15299 Cortez Blvd., Brooksville, Fla.
34613, or send e-mail to ataft@miamiherald.com. Please
include your name and address.
Daybreak Counseling Service
www.daybreakservices.com
310-995-1202
