Long-Term Care: Addressing the Real Issues

Abstract

There is a long-term care crisis in this country, but recent initiatives are trying to treat the wrong symptoms, and the proposed remedies will do little or nothing to address the real problems that employers and employees face. The recent proposal to promote the purchase of long-term care (LTC) insurance for employees in the workplace provides no financial relief for their elderly loved ones who are in need of care now. Similarly, the initiative for a caregiver tax credit is not a solution for employees who will soon be inheriting caregiving duties-the nearly half of the work force. Employers can provide answers-but not by tossing LTC insurance at employees who have little or no chance of using it. Help arrives when employers begin offering a responsible way for their caregiver workers to access comprehensive professional assessments, guidance and care planning. At the same time, it's crucial to establish a process where elderly family members of employees have an opportunity to purchase LTC insurance through the employee's group plan. These remedies address the heart of the longterm care crisis and the eldercare concerns faced by working adults today.