Monday, September 8, 2008

What About Long-Term Senior Healthcare?


from NewsOne.com

LEFT OF BLACK: Conventions in Rearview--Senior Healthcare Remains

by Mark Anthony Neal

With the inclusion of Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin on the Republican Presidential ticket and Barack Obama's equally historic emergence as the standard bearer of the Democratic Party, both national conventions took on a larger than life quality. Now that the battle lines are fully drawn-celebrated veteran vs. upstart elitist; small town values vs. a cosmopolitan sophistication-it remains to be seen whether this election cycle will produce any meaningful conversations about day-to-day issues. The senior healthcare crisis would be a great start.

In a nation in which nearly 50 million people lack health insurance of any kind, most seniors over the age of 65 are nominally covered by Medicare. The Medicare system has its faults, particularly with regards to affordable prescription drugs. And the system also offers little for long-term care, except under specific circumstances.

As Americans increasingly live longer lives and with millions of seniors suffering from Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, long term care options, such as nursing homes, assisted-living environments and retirement communities, have become increasingly prevalent. The struggle for many seniors is trying to find ways to pay for long-term care.

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