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While education and incentives to purchase insurance are important steps for younger people who have the time and resources to plan for potential long-term care needs, they will not help those millions who cannot access or afford insurance or are forced into poverty in order to get help from the government. The Alzheimer's Association believes that the long-term care crisis, fueled by a large and rapidly aging population, requires action now.
The exact form of the solution is not clear, although it is obvious that current budgetary constraints make it difficult to discuss additional governmental expenditures. In order to address the long-term care crisis, the Alzheimer's Association recommends that:
Policy-makers initiate a national dialogue immediately to reach consensus on a viable solution to the long-term care financing problem. Potential long-term care financing solutions include a public/private partnership to assist people before they are broken by the costs and consequences of their long-term care needs. Such a partnership should ensure that those with few financial resources have access to a means-tested safety net, that people who can plan ahead for their long-term care costs are encouraged to do so and that there is a public-sector program that provides a stable base of support and wraps around private benefits. Private-sector and public-sector benefits complement one another, with proper incentives and regulations to ensure affordable, meaningful protection.
Next: Supporting Family Caregivers
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The Alzheimer's Association believes that the long-term care crisis, fueled by a large and rapidly aging population, requires action now.
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