Finding care for an aging population

Every day until 2030, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 years old. In Washington, the percentage of residents who are 75 and older is projected to grow from 7% today to 13% by 2050. In our state, 820,000 people are family caregivers.

Those are among the figures the League of Women Voters of Mason County mulled Tuesday afternoon at its meeting in the Olympic College Shelton library meeting room. The members heard some of the results of a two-year study conducted by the LWV of Washington that explores gaps in long-term care support for seniors, vulnerable adults and caregivers.

People are living longer and the birth rate has dropped, “so more residents than ever need long-term care,” said LWV of Mason County member Amy Davis.

For the study, the state LWV interviewed seniors who represented a “range of circumstances and needs.” The themes that emerged included a desire for independence and to make choices about caregivers, the need for respite care, the value of pets, and difficulties that include loneliness, access to information and negotiating long-term care services.

The report stated, “An elder told us while his care is ideal, he wishes his children would visit more often … he worries about the current tax laws and the potential of leaving his wife without enough money to continue their current lifestyle should he need nursing home care.”

The study also included interviews with 17 family caregivers, 12 of them older than 60, 11 of them female, six male. Many reported providing care seven days a week, 24 hours a day, several for 10 years or more. Most are not compensated for the care they provide. They felt emotionally rewarded but miss intimacy and companionship.

The caregivers said the challenges include not knowing where to turn for information, delaying their own life goals, difficulty balancing caregiving with the needs of their own families, isolation and resentment, health problems, affordability and concerns about estate recovery.

In one scenario, a husband “said he is setting an example for his children; another caregiver wishes for a full day off, ‘a float tank day’ while another noted conflict with her siblings over their mother’s care.”

For the study, the LWV also interviewed 11 paid caregivers in urban and rural settings throughout the state, said Terry Baker, a retired hospital administrator and a Sheba volunteer. Most described caregiving as their career, while a few work multiple jobs. They said their motivations include helping seniors remain in their homes, honoring the dignity and value of elders and having a positive effect.

The paid caregivers said the challenges include losing clients, clients needing more care than is authorized and worrying about clients who live alone, Baker said. They mentioned exhaustion and worries about compensation, benefits, training and respect for their profession, she said.

Baker said the statements they heard during interviews with paid caregivers included: “I love spending time with my clients, hearing their life stories and helping them with their daily needs.” Some expressed concerns about not being paid to attend training, and some said they have experienced verbal and physical abuse. They noted that the loss of a client can result in periods of time without enough hours of work a month — 80 hours — to qualify for health insurance.

Several league members shared their experiences and challenges. Connie Simpson’s mother moved in with her when she was 97 and died a week after her 100th birthday.

“Being responsible for another human being is difficult 24/7,” said Simpson, a former registered nurse and elder care and hospice worker. Taking care of her mother full-time caused stresses in their relationship, but her mother probably would have been largely ignored at an elder care business because she was functionally blind and almost deaf and didn’t speak up, she said.

Simpson said both she and her mother would have benefitted from more respite care, but not enough resources are available.

“It needs to be thought through how we allocate these resources,” Simpson said. She said she knows the state is facing budget challenges, “but a lot of people are going to suffer if we don’t.”