Across the country, it is a well known fact that more and more senior care resources are needed. But the wheels of change turn slowly, especially when government or public funding is part of the equation. Although there’s a vast need, it can take quite a while to get things rolling.
This is exactly what a lot of communities are experiencing. The residents and professionals in these communities know what needs to be done, but because funding hasn’t quite been approved yet, potential resources are not available. Unfortunately, this means that there are people not getting the care that they need as a result of this.
The impending senior care crisis is something that has been talked about for over a decade at this point. However, those outside of the immediate sphere of concern haven’t been as aware of the problem as those who are down in the trenches are. COVID changed all of this, highlighting just how great of a need there is in the senior care industry. But even with this knowledge, there’s no immediate solution for the issue.
Things like funding delays are inevitable parts of life. But when the fallout from things like this begin to have an impact on the quality of life of people, there’s a big issue at hand. This is why it’s so important to start your care search early on. If you have a plan in place for a loved one long before they need assistance, the odds of a potential care crisis in your area impacting their access to get the help that they need goes down significantly.
But not everyone is so fortunate. Sometimes you don’t even know that this is something that you should be looking at for a loved one–until it’s already needed. In these instances, planning ahead won’t help because it’s too late for that.
If this is a situation that you’re facing, first of all, don’t panic. Help is out there. Perhaps the fastest way to get connected to senior care is to call your county office and ask to get connected with your office of senior services, or whatever it might be called in your particular community. Even if you and your family don’t qualify for the particular services provided through the county (these are typically income based) they will know where to send you for better information on finding the right senior care for your particular situation.
More people are thinking creatively about senior care than ever before. There are not more options than once before, but more people and more communities are now aware of these options than ever before. A funding delay (or complete lack of funding) can seriously hinder a major source of senior care in a community, but that doesn’t mean that there are no options available. Creative solutions can be just as effective, or even more so, than traditional types of care, depending on the situation you might find yourself in.
Reach out to a professional in your community if you’re unsure of where to start. They’ll be able to guide you in the right direction.
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