|
|
|
Departments |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Elder CareTips:
Mastering The Eldercare Maze™
| |
| 2/26/08:
Dear Molly, thank
you for your thought provoking article.
I believe that adult children should be
legally and morally responsible for
their aging parents. The moral issues
are evident (to me) but the legal issues
would obviously need strict guidance and
monitoring. For example, whether aging
parents want to stay in their own home
and, if needed have home care or if they
wanted to live in an elder care
facility, the issue of legality's , or
more precisely money for living
expenses, could be treated as a marriage
ended and the elder is in need of
alimony to help with living expenses.
Much like a
marriage ended, all things would be
taken into consideration to determine
the amount of money needed; the amount
of money the aging parents can pay, the
amount of money the adult child is able
to contribute and possibly state or
federal financial contributions. This
matter could be determined by an
ombudsman of sort and a financial
account established with a financial
institution that each party contributes
to and basic living expenses are paid
automatically for the elder parents and
any other expenses are optional.
Everyone would have
to adjust to the amount of money that
all parties are able to contribute. And
of course there would always be
exceptions. But surely we as a
civilized country should not be allowed,
nor should we want to, abandon our
parents as they age, parents who chose
to give us life under any condition, no
matter who they are.
Patricia Wheeler
|
|
• •
• • •
|
| 2/26/08 |
| So, if I
understand correctly, you suggest some
appointed official to examine your and your
parent's income, assets and expenditures
and decide who pays what. I'm not
altogether certain I would trust a
government entity quite that much!
Molly |
|
• •
• • • |
|
2/26/08
I agree that it
would be difficult to strip an adult of
their rights just because they are
elderly. Aside from the issue of the
elderly, if we set the precedent of
stripping any group of their rights
because we don't like what they are
doing, where does it go? Do we strip
homosexuals of their rights because we
don't like their decisions on who to
love? Do we strip other individuals of
their rights because of unhealthy
decisions, i.e., smokers, obese
individuals, people who have dangerous
hobbies.
I understand the intentions and I think
they are noble. Lots of laws and rules
do have good intentions but as the old
saying goes, the devil is in the
details.
I am currently caring for a mother with
MDS and dementia as well as a partner
disabled with fibromyalgia. I also work
40 hours a week. I'm the leading edge of
the baby boomer generation and can see
the problem especially as I live in a
rural area. I can visualize the problem
but compelling someone to care for
another and taking away rights because
of free choice is not the way to do it.
I'm just,
Stretched Thin
|
|
• •
• • • |
3/08/08
Before we
legislate adult children's
responsibilities for their parents,
perhaps we can spend those expensive
legislative hours finally defining
parental (not governmental)
responsibilities for their minor
children. It would be politically much
more painful but be a far better
investment in everyone's future,
particularly given the billions the
government invests in children. Let the
government show they can actually deal
successfully with adults' responsibilities
to their minor children and then let's
have this discussion.
My point is that I haven't seen
legislation cases where the government has
intervened (interfered) in the family and
really made a positive difference. I'm
certainly not convinced this legislation
will improve any senior's situation but am
convinced it will put adult children
into impossible situations. I suspect the
legislation is REALLY meant for the
government to get into adult children's
pockets to personally pay for senior care.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Susan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
