There’s an interesting trend that we’ve observed when it comes to senior care in some European countries. Many European countries have seen younger generations be much less plentiful in numbers than in the older population. And as seniors grow in age and in their needs, that means that there are fewer younger folk out there that are able to provide care for them.
Some European countries, particularly Germany, have found a potential solution to this issue. While internal population growth has essentially come to a halt, external growth is still continuing. Immigration in and out of a country is always occurring, and Germany has tapped into this by offering incentives for immigrants to join the workforce. What they are finding is that the job openings in the care industry that they were worried about filling are finding talented people to fill them much more easily than once thought.
There’s another side of this, too. What happens when someone immigrates into a country, and then needs senior care to help meet their needs? This is a question that we don’t have a good answer for here in the U.S., particularly when it comes to those that are not legal residents.
Immigrants have always played a role in the health and wellness of our nation and its infrastructure. It’s not a surprise that this continues to be the case today. Luckily, conditions are much better today than they were at previous points in American history. There’s still plenty of work to do in some areas when it comes to fair and equitable treatment and discrimination.
Senior care will look different for everyone. Regardless of what you’re looking for, there’s a care option for you. And even if someone else has the same exact needs, what works best for them might not be the same.
Some of us have lived in the United States our entire lives. Some of us have immigrated from another country. But at the end of the day, time passes for all of us and many of us will need some sort of assistance as we grow older. If statistics hold true, more than half of us will require long term care at some point in our lives.
If immigration status is a concern for you, please reach out to an attorney who handles these kinds of matters. A quick Google search will highlight those in your area that practice this type of law. While everyone deserves equal access to high quality senior care, the truth of the matter is that being a citizen of the U.S. does make it a lot easier to navigate this system. Having an insurance policy to help cover some of the cost will only make senior care become less stressful for you.
This is a nuanced topic, but definitely one that deserves a serious conversation.
If you have questions, we’re happy to talk more. Please feel free to reach out to us to talk more about who we are, what we do, and how it might benefit you.
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