It Really Sucks to Be Old in Texas

AARP IS BASTION OF LIBERALS...Texas is Red state.  thus the analysis. Emily, you are an idiot.

The Money talk is important . 

Actually dealing with the situation as in someones own DAD or MOM is mind numbing and a thankless task. If they didn't/don't  have their house financial ( right back to the money and so quick) and otherwise the situation will be very stressful to those left to deal with it.Issues  you thought were gone with childhood come rushing back in as you and the have to sit down with siblings and decide things Lots of things and they are the same as they were when you all lived in the same house . This is like FAMILY Game night on STEROIDS and its GAME OF LIFE Being played for real.

Those of you who still can need to gather everyone around ..Yes everyone even the ones who don't want to be there. Because you don't want them rushing in and screwing the plans up. 

Find out what MOM and DAD have and Make MOM and DAD sign off on what is going to happen  NOW so that it is the way they want things.Not you having rush  to find a stroked out mom or dad a place be cared for that isn't The Man cave or Game room.At your house

The Bonus is not having to deal with the theatrics of the Drama King and Queen who will fight everyone one the slightest issue. But can't be bothered to really care for them.

They will be there count on it. However signed papers trump angst and fit pitching.

The article wanders from short term nursing care to assisted care to long term nursing care.  The three are separate with different finances, customers and providers.  I would expect few people end up at state mental health facilities that have most state involvement.  With other providers, you get what you spend money.  You can mandate lots of things, but the facilities will close if they cannot make a profit.  It is a compromise.

For people that think let Feds pay, be aware President Obama's team tried a plan that collapsed within a year.  The costs were too big and no one signed up for the insurance plan.  Before it got out of control, HHS killed it and has no plans for another.  Even President Obama's team could stomach the massive taxes required.  That tells you the size of the issue. 

When you get old you do:

- buy private insurance starting in your 50's when healthy

- save money in IRA/401K/HSA (100's of thousands) in case

- eventually use up all assets and go on Medicare nursing home.

Regulation is one step, but don't think a lot of rules will make everything fine.  Overregulate and you will have elders with no place to go.

It must suck to work at the Dallas Observer, with the exception of Gavin, Scott and Alice, all you people do is whine about shit.

I bet Alice wants to punch you all in the junk at least 10 times a day....

Not sure if this is true or not but when looking for a home for our mom, someone told us that homes that have more medicare patients can be trusted more than those with more private pay patients.  Supposedly because Medicare has strict guidelines and will pull the plug on funding those homes with too many complaints.  

I do agree that in priorities of giving money to social services, that the elderly should be at the top of the receiving line.  A woman who is single and decides to have a child better have the financial funding to see that child through.  

As said here already, the money these homes pay their staff is criminal for the level of work they do and what is expected.   I noticed in my Moms case the good ones never lasted.  I also noticed things like an assistant on her second day on the job was tasked with passing our medications.  

Most nursing home residents are on Medicaid, and the reimbursement rates are paltry in Texas. 

AARP is an insurance company posing as an advocate for the elderly. If I were a lawmaker, I would give no weight to any report produced by AARP. 

Is an old people rally like an autocross rally? I bet it rally is. 

@rusknative AARP is The Hartford AARP is in it for what AARP can get out of it .

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@oakclifftownie  If scientific proof for Karma exists, you will find it in family actions regarding long term care.  You MIGHT see your life pass by just before you die.  You WILL revisit every slight, every perception of favoritism, every hurt accumulated over a lifetime if you do not plan for this event years ahead of time.  My parents did it the right way.  I have seen our relatives' parents do it the wrong way.  Do it the wrong way and you create new pain and hurt, on top of old pain and hurt, that will last into next generation. 

Long Term Care is where you learn that, per quote from Bad Boys film, few of us are the Cosbys.

Money in IRA ok, but most 401s never provide the income needed since 70% of retirees take SS as 60% of their total income. 401 is great if you are in the Oil & Gas Big Gubment subsidy as your subsidized Group Health Plan. Bushes did not destroy my pension plan.

In Baby Bush's 8 disastrous years, you lost $.25 on each $1.00 invested.

Not good for 401s and IRAs.

You have my sympathy.

@JackJett  From personal experience I think the opposite.  People spending own money on care are better guardians of service delivered.  Those Medicare patients are by definition flat broke, really flat broke in comparison to Hilary Clinton definition.  They are usually least able to force satisfactory service.  Don't think some HHS inspector will make everything right.

@James080 So true.  As I am just coming into my AARP phase, I assumed they were the official leader of the aging but in fact they are ....we I am not totally sure what they are at this point.  I know they send a shitload of mail on a daily basis.  I know that when my friends start getting their share to go through a bout of depression.  

@TheRuddSki , Yeah but in Texas a lot of it is done by foreign born to keep the wages even lower.

@Myrna.Minkoff-Katz  Young at heart, princess.  I reach retirement age at my company in 4 years.

@MikeWestEast  Mike, you are confusing Medicare with Medicaid.  Medicaid pays for the broke and indigent, at very low daily reimbursement rates.  Medicare does not cover long-term care, although it will cover up to 20 days per year at a skilled nursing facility under certain conditions.

@JackJett @James080 

My guess is that following the release of this report, AARP will be send out mass mailings offering "low cost" long term nursing care INSURANCE to it's members.

@James080 @JackJett  If you see "low cost" long term care from anybody, it is a scam.  It simply does not exist.