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Financial hardship for VI families: Growing cost of care for elderly
Over the past 30 years, the population aged 65 and over has surged, according to preliminary figures from the local Government’s Central Statistics Office. Furthermore, it’s expected to grow even more. With this rapid increase, more families are under pressure and struggling to take care of their elderly relatives at home.
Not our culture to send them to old people's home
The VI, unlike the mainland USA or the UK, does not have the culture of taking loved ones to senior citizen's homes. Notwithstanding, there is about one such home run by private individuals, not including the Government-run Adina Donovan Home for the Elderly on Tortola, which is now filled to capacity, or the Home for the Elderly on Virgin Gorda, which is also overflowing.
There are no facilities on the other sister islands of Jost van Dyke or Anegada. The one privately-owned home for the elderly only operates on Tortola. It is our understanding that the facility used to also operate on Virgin Gorda, but is believed to have since closed.
However, taking care of elderly parents or ill and frail relatives and other family members in the Territory is a daily struggle and high costs are at the heart of the home care. In addition, there is a severe shortage of professional caretakers due to low pay and high turnover (due to deaths of the person being cared for), as many families who can afford it will bring in caretakers via a work permit to ‘live in’ with their loved ones.
While about three companies operate in the VI offering home care personnel to help with elderly care, most families cannot afford the high cost, and two or sometimes three persons are required to provide 24-hour home care.
Government help is not adequate
The Government, through the National Health Insurance (NHI) Agency and the Social Development Department, provides some modest help with a shift system a few days a week to help loved ones. The NHI may also contribute to the funding of medical beds and other items. Our research uncovered the financial strain families endure, from home adaptations to ongoing recurring expenses for medical supplies and equipment and all the necessities like transportation for example and the ongoing purchase of adult pampers.
Unfortunately, the current home care infrastructure in the VI is struggling to keep up, as families themselves are in financial hardship and can no longer afford to take care of parents and other relativities who are in need from personal care items to special food, hospital visits and other items for daily checks of blood pressure and sugar.
Poverty due to CoI?
In addition, with a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) that has not allowed government departments or elected officials to issue adequate help to those who are qualified, this shift has clearly left fewer people with publicly funded support, leading to more families shouldering the responsibility for their elderly relatives with funds they do not have.
Many elected officials have openly blamed the UK-imposed CoI for the rise in poverty in the Territory. The financial burden on families has increased due to only one privately-owned home, which is also now filled to capacity, leading to the rise in self-funded care and not many having access to the Government-run homes on Tortola and Virgin Gorda or families just not wanting their loved ones to be placed there.
Poor care, short lives
Even more unfortunate for the elderly is that the care given depends on what the families can afford, especially for long-term care. While we do not have any statistics on this, many residents and social workers believe the type of care the elderly receive can determine how long they live. Hiring a professional caregiver can provide significant relief, but comes at a high cost.
Many family members in the VI who become primary caregivers for their elderly or ill relatives are sometimes forced to reduce their 9-5 working hours or, while this number is very small, leave their jobs entirely to provide care. This impacts household income and can lead to long-term financial insecurity, including reduced pension, Social Security and NHI contributions and totally depleted savings.
There are also cases of the elderly with no children, those with children living overseas or in other home islands, and others who have turned their backs on their aging families. These individuals end up in the Adina Donovan Home for the Elderly or the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital with nowhere to go.
The high cost
Caring for an elderly relative at home can cost $45,000.00 to $60,000.00 per year in the VI. These costs depend on the level of care needed, the type of caregiver, and sometimes location as it is even more expensive on the Sister Islands. Expenses increase with intensive care needs and professional caregivers. Additional costs come from frequently needed care, medical equipment, and home modifications like new beds, eating chairs and tables, moving the loved one downstairs of any two-story home, or even wheelchairs.
Making a home comfortable and safe for an elderly loved one is costly. Simple changes like installing grab bars and handrails might cost around $2000.00. However, more extensive renovations, such as adding stair lifts or converting a bathroom for wheelchair access, can reach up to $6000.00 increasing the financial burden of already struggling families. These changes are crucial for ensuring the safety and comfort of your loved one, but it’s important to know that many residents cannot afford these costs.
More help needed from government
Many families who have recently lost loved ones after years of home care- speaking to our newsroom on condition of anonymity- noted, “The financial aspects of caring for an elderly loved one can be daunting both mentally and financially”.
The reality is that as the population ages, the burden, and cost will only worsen as we are not clear if the Government of the day has any plans to help families face this new financial hardship of taking care of their loved ones who are sick or elderly.
Finally, until a system is devised, and funded (adequate support for those who are taking care of the elderly at home), that would offer all our elderly residents dignity and comfort in old age- after most of them have worked their hearts out for their country, their children, and to make life better for future generations or institutions- we as a people in this British Overseas Territory of the VI can’t rest easy.
Editor's note: This is the first in a series of looking at social issues. Others in this series; (a) The Cost of Care for the Physically Challenged, (b) Those with Mental Issues, (c) The Homeless (d) The Cost of Cancer and its Treatment (e) The Rise of Substance Abuse including Drugs and Alcohol Addictions and (f) Obesity in Children and Adults - Men with Big Stomachs- A Cultural Norm of Downright Unhealthy?
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14 Responses to “Financial hardship for VI families: Growing cost of care for elderly”
Dump them off at the homes
Sad
Why not introduce daily Senior Citizen Community Center Programs at the Community Centers where seniors can go to on a daily basis to gather with and be around other senior cutizens, receive seminar discusaions and lectures from professionals like:
• Doctors on healthy eating and living habitts
• Pensioners on managing thier pension
• Bankers on Financing & Inveatment options
• Insurance Companies on insurance options
• Play board games, dominos, cards and checkerds
• Go on hikes and tours to the island attractions
• Receive a Free Meal, Fruits, Salads & drinks
School Buses could easliy be organized and arranged to pick up these seniors from there homes and drop them back home on a daily after doing there school bus routines
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.plusscommunities.com/blog/68-assisted-living-activities-for-seniors%3fformat=amp
The NHI is one of the best political thing that happened and still ongoing, except many business owners, medical clinic and others have and continue taking advantage of its managerial insufficiency.
It is true that most senior citizens in Adinavan's Healthcare Home and others are feeling mounting pressure due to inadequate finances and Healthcare workers. But our Healthcare problems in the B.V.I is far more complex than to focus only on senior citizens Healthcare insufficiency, but the focus need to involve a demografic (age group) in the B.V.I.
HIARACHY OF NEEDS.
1. Food.
2. Health
3. Clothings
4 Shelter
5.Education skills
6. Jobs to earn money
7. More money to meet your basic needs, not $8,50 an hour minimum wage pay.
8. Price control especial on needed basic goods
9. Hold government leaders and opposition leaders accountable to their political promised
10. Vigorously resist all crimes lawfully
Community unity of righteous action.
11. More and better regular traffic roads
12. More efficient water distribution
13.. others
Moreover, more elder services, facilities, etc., are needed. Nevertheless, government alone may not be able to address the problem, meeting all the demand. Government, though in addition to constructing larger, more modern facilities, should also consider incentivizing family(s) taking care of elderly family members, ie, an elder care allowance( universal basic income (UBI).