Columnist Jane Glenn Haas writes in the Orange County [CA] Register that a new survey reveals caregivers for people with disabilities “are facing escalating financial and emotional hardships that are rarely, if ever, addressed in national debates about funding health care.” Some 44 million Americans are responsible for the care of a spouse or parent.

An excerpt:

A survey conducted by Evercare [a national health care coordination program of UnitedHealthcare] and the [nonprofit] National Alliance for Caregiving concludes 43 percent of caregivers have taken a pay cut or have been forced to work fewer hours as a result of the recession.

Some have taken on additional jobs or are able to work more hours, but almost 50 percent told surveyors they have exhausted their savings and 43 percent have had to borrow money to continue caregiving.

The survey further revealed that:

• 64 percent of caregivers are struggling to pay their own bills;
• 63 percent have stopped saving for their own retirement or future caregiving; and
• 36 percent say they have found that government agencies or nonprofit groups are less able to provide services or outside help.

See also:

Caregivers struggle even more during recession, study finds – Orlando Sentinel

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 10:33 am and is filed under caregivers, economics, elderly, families, NOT2BEMISSED. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.