No Care for Baby Boomers

There are 10,000 Baby Boomers hitting age 65 each day. They’re becoming caregivers, as well as those needing care. People are living longer than ever, and many Boomers will be caring for their children and parents at the same time.

The fact that Boomers had fewer children than earlier generations, and both men and women are living longer, makes a recipe for fewer caregivers in the years to come. It is projected that by 2030 there will be only four potential caregivers available for each person 80 or older, down from a high of more than seven in 2010.

The average caregiver in 2009 was a 49-year-old woman who had a job outside the home and spent nearly 20 hours per week providing unpaid care to her mother, according to a 2011 AARP Public Policy Institute study.

YIKES!! These statistics are frightening! I’m 47 right now, and in 20 years I’ll be 67, with no one to take care of me? It’s a looming thought, and unfortunately a very realistic one. I can no longer hide my head in my electronic devices. ( I would have said “sand” but electronic devices is where my head is these days).

I can already predict that care-giving is not going to be easy for me, or my children when it’s their turn.

I have done web design for several clients who are senior advocates. A senior advocate helps families find the best senior living options for their needs and budget. They talk to you about your loved one’s medical conditions, level of independence, behavioral and nutritional needs, and hobbies. Based on your loved one’s condition, they advise about location and financial resources to narrow your options for care. Many of them are FREE, and are paid by the care facilities.

Where and what condition will your loved be 10 years from now? Maybe you’re already at that care-giving stage. Here are a few questions that you’ll want to explore:

Does your loved one have advanced health care insurance? How much does it cover and how long does it last? Are they eligible for Medicare?, What about an advanced health care directive or a will? Where’s the mortgage, the title to the car, bank accounts, insurance policies, stocks and bonds? Is an Estate Plan needed? Who in the family should have power of attorney, legal and medical, to keep track of end of life wishes and ensure they’re carried out? AARP’s 35 questions for an aging parent

The health of your aging loved one is something to certainly consider in the coming years. Women are especially living longer without husbands, so planning for your parent or loved one’s future, both medically and financially now, is critical before things become a crisis.

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Seasons of Life

Those nasty little Arachnids are about to make their debut again this August in Southern California, hanging from the trees as they travel furiously back and forth, spinning their little webs at dusk. The one thing I do like about the Lord’s changing nature seasons, is that they are somewhat predictable. God’s simple creatures anticipate, and appreciate the seasons. Their circadian clock never fails to kick in when it’s time.

I think sometimes as we age, we fight God’s seasons, anticipating the worst. We begrudgingly deal with our less-than-pleasant present: a regimen of chemo, financial setbacks, the empty nest. Are you experiencing a winter of discouragement, cold and icy through your soul?

Success in life is often cyclical. Success doesn’t last forever. Soon the winds of change will come, and everything will be dead and barren. But the Lord gave us TIME. ( Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven). Time allows us to take advantage of the season among us, to adjust to its newness, and prepare once again to settle into some sort of routine.

What season of life are you in? Whatever your season, embrace the opportunities of life.