San Rafael, CA.... Days after Eljay LLC released a study showing a $4.7 billion dollar gap between states’ elder care budgets and the actual costs of care, local elder care experts are highliting other indirect consequences of the economic crisis. Families consulting with Aging Parents have reported:
Elders are delaying moving to assisted living facilities, cutting corners with in-home care. The crash in the housing market has deterred families from moving aging parents, for fear of having to sell their house at a loss. Seniors are instead hiring in-home care but are skipping extensive background tests, increasing the risk of financial abuse.
“Many of the seniors we work with have reverted back into Depression mode, and are putting their own safety at risk in their attempt at being frugal. Cutting corners for in-home care puts elders at great risk of financial abuse, said Carolyn Rosenblatt, an experienced nurse and lawyer and author of The Boomer’s Guide to Aging Parents.
Marketing to seniors is becoming more aggressive. Continuing care retirement communities are reported to be pushing their residents to take on unnecessary costs. Residents feel that they are being aggressively urged to move to more expensive levels of care, and sometimes they are required to do so against their wishes.
Family conflicts are on the rise. Economic stresses are taking their toll on families, which are coming into conflict over what to do with aging parents. The holiday season forces conversations about care, and many families that are already stretched too thin lack the communication and planning aids to handle these issues alone.
“We’ve watched families that have cooperated in the past turn to conflict because they are stretched too thin and feeling frustrated. Nobody wants to show their vulnerability to the elder parents relying on them,” said Dr. Mikol Davis, professional mediator and co-founder of AgingParents.com.
Carolyn Rosenblatt and Dr. Mikol Davis have over 75 years of combined nursing, legal, and psychology experience. Both available for interview and are regular commentators on elder care issues.
