It is unbelievable but sadly true that many people simply do not understand the long term care system and the costs of long term care. Few have thought ahead to what their own long term care needs will be. As more and more of us are growing older, the need for public knowledge and awareness of the issues becomes even more critical.
The fact is that long term care affects everyone because everyone is a potential client. Over one-half of women and one-third of men over sixty-five will reside in a nursing home at some point in their lifetime. Statistics Canada tells us that over six hundred Canadians turn sixty each day. It is predicted that the average North American in this century will spend more time caring for elderly family members than raising their own children. (Dychtwald, 1999)
Yet, in a recent study done by MetLife, almost 50% of respondents grossly underestimated the cost of long term care. In our own practice, we have found that the majority of our clients do not understand what long term care encompasses, the types of care available, how care is accessed and how it is paid for. Many mistakenly believe that the government will cover all costs. Certainly, an ever-increasing proportion of seniors and longer life expectancies will result in an unprecedented demand for quite limited resources.
At MyDignity.ca, we are committed to sharing information and raising awareness, connecting people to the resources they need, providing practical assistance in navigating the long term care system, offering support and guidance to family caregivers and, above all else, advocating, wherever it is necessary to do so, for elders and those who love them.