Living longer should be a gift. Why doesn’t it feel that way?
Sep 5, 2024
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In this conversation, Ai-jen Poo, a prominent labor organizer and author specializing in elder care and workers' rights, discusses the pressing challenges of aging in America. She highlights the burdens on unpaid family caregivers amid a growing aging population. Poo advocates for better support systems and explores innovative care models, such as intergenerational daycare facilities. The dialogue emphasizes the need to redefine aging as a gift and the crucial role of community in enhancing caregiver and elder experiences.
The U.S. faces increasing challenges in caregiving for the elderly, necessitating both systemic enhancements and a cultural transformation regarding caregiver roles.
Innovative solutions like the Better Care Better Jobs Act and intergenerational care centers are vital for fostering a sustainable care infrastructure.
Deep dives
The Growing Challenge of Aging Care
Aging care is becoming an increasingly pressing issue for the U.S. population, with projections indicating that by 2030, 20 percent of Americans will be over 65. The shift towards an aging society creates significant challenges, especially as many face the burdens of caregiving for elderly loved ones. The financial strain of care is overwhelming, with costs reaching an average of $262,800 for full-time care, a situation that many Americans are unprepared for. Addressing these challenges requires not only systemic changes but also a cultural shift in how society views and values the roles of caregivers.
Reevaluating the Care Workforce
The care workforce, which includes over 53 million family caregivers and about six million professional care workers, remains largely undervalued and undercompensated. Most caregivers work while providing unpaid support, with their annual contribution estimated at nearly a trillion dollars. The majority of direct care workers are women, often from marginalized communities, facing high turnover rates due to low wages averaging around $23,000 annually. Addressing the wage disparity and recognizing caregiving as a legitimate profession is essential for retaining caregivers and ensuring quality care for the aging population.
Advocating for Comprehensive Care Solutions
Innovative care solutions, such as accessible home-based services and the expansion of Medicaid, are critical to meet the rising demands of an aging population. Proposals like the Better Care Better Jobs Act aim to improve home and community-based care while raising wages for care workers, paving the way for a more sustainable care system. Additionally, creating intergenerational care centers that combine childcare with eldercare offers mutual benefits and strengthens community bonds. By investing in such comprehensive solutions and fostering political will, the U.S. can create an infrastructure that values and supports caregivers and vulnerable populations.
Every day, 10,000 people turn 65 in America. With unpaid family members bearing the brunt of the work and an already-stressed care workforce, the U.S. faces huge challenges to support the elderly. Labor organizer and author Ai-jen Poo talks to Apple News In Conversation host Shumita Basu about how America can give everyone a chance to have the aging experience they deserve.
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