Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The Golden Years

     Getting old is rough. Or, rather, being old is rough. Getting old is easy. All you have to do to get old is be born and then stand in one spot for 75 years and you'll get old. Couldn't be easier. BEING old though, that's another story.
      Being old means you become invisible. People look right thru you, like a potted plant. Nobody notices you anymore. You just stand there waiting to be...watered. 
      Could anything be worse? Well, being old and needing long term care could be worse. Sneeze in front of the kids some time and it's,
       "You think he needs a nursing home?"
       "I don't know. He doesn't sound so good."
       And then it's off to the lawyer you go. That's right, the lawyer. There's a special branch of the law that handles the problem that you didn't know you had. It's called, Get-pop-on-Medicaid-before-he-has-to-go-to-a-nursing-home-and-pisses-away-our-whole-inheritance Law or simply, Elder Law. 
                                                             *** 
        Long term care is way too expensive. It eventually bankrupts most of the people who need it. Then they go on Medicaid which is bankrupting most of the states and the federal governmen. There's a better way,
        'He who forgets the repast...', Everyone in a facility should be assured nourishing meals, clean sheets, and the right to be treated with dignity and respect. That's it. Forget measuring the height of the soap dispensers, the size of the the sinks and the endless paperwork and 'staff training' that costs a fortune and accomplishes...nothing..
       And then provide a voucher for basic care to anyone who asks, regardless of ability to pay. Keep it simple and it'll cost less than the system we have now that costs millions to make sure that no one, anywhere, gets a free hamburger when they can really afford to pay for one.
       Want a more luxurious old age? Combine the voucher with personal savings. If you've lived an industrious and frugal life, you get to live a little better in your potted plant years, or maybe leave a few bucks to the kids.

       And, best of all, you'll never need a lawyer, even if you sneeze..

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