Should Alzheimer's caregivers be paid $1 an hour by the United States Government?By Bob DeMarco
Alzheimer's Reading Room
Over 65?
Need a heart operation? No problem.
Diagnosed with cancer need extended treatment? No problem.
Medicare is ready to step in and give you an operation, or whatever treatment you need when these diseases strike.
Got Alzheimer's? Good luck, good riddance, see ya later.
In case you didn't notice, the issue of providing long term care or dealing with the unique medical issues of Alzheimer's is no where to be found in the current national health care debate.This despite the fact that more than 9 million unpaid Alzheimer's caregivers are on the job for about 8.5 billion hours a year.
Alzheimer's caregivers are contributing around $94 billion to the nation each year. This is the dollar value of what we, the Alzheimer's caregivers, are saving the United States government each year.
This has me thinking. I estimate I have been on the job for 51,288 hours. All but 18 days for what will soon be six years. Six years, so far.
It now dawned on me that I would like to be paid a dollar an hour by the government for what I am doing.
My new program for caregivers would cost the United State government 8.5 billion dollars a year. Less than the cost of a month fighting the Iraq war.
I could have dumped my mother into the Medicaid system at least 4 years ago. Let's take a conservative view and say that would have cost Uncle Sammy $4,000 a month. Cost for 4 years, $192,000.
I want my buck an hour, you?
Feel free to use this article on your blog or website. If you prefer, feel free to email this to everyone on your email list. If you would like to share the article use the share button.
- The Metamorphosis of This Alzheimer's Caregiver (Part One)
- Test Your Memory (TYM) for Alzheimer's or Dementia in Five Minutes
- Does the Combination of Aricept and Namenda Help Slow the Rate of Decline in Alzheimer's Patients
- Five Ways to Keep Alzheimer's Away
- Is it Really Alzheimer's or Something Else?
- Alzheimer's Wandering Why it Happens and What to Do
- 10 Good Reasons to Subscribe to the Alzheimer's Reading Room Now
- World Health Care Spending and Performance Ranking by Country (Table)
- What is Dementia?
- Dementia and the Eight Types of Dementia
- Walmart and this Alzheimer's Caregiver
- Dimebon Connection Study
- Are Alzheimer's Caregivers the Forgotten?
- A Simple Three Minute Test Can Detect the Earliest Stage of Alzheimer's Disease
- Wii a Useful Tool for Alzheimer's Caregivers
- 2009 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
- The Mini-Cog Test for Alzheimer's and Dementia
Bob DeMarco is the Founder of the Alzheimer's Reading Room and an Alzheimer's caregiver. Bob has written more than 1,880 articles with more than 95,100 links on the Internet. Bob resides in Delray Beach, FL.
 The Alzheimer's Action Plan |  300 Tips for Making Life Easier |
Original content Bob DeMarco, the Alzheimer's Reading Room