In today’s society, the elderly are often considered a burden and a drain on society. The middle class elderly population is the most underserved population in healthcare and they often struggle to receive care due to their lack of financial resources. Working hard to set aside even a small nest egg for retirement keeps them from gaining access to some of the services available to keep them safe at home.

“Despite our nation’s aging population and the importance of senior care, a recent study found that middle-class elderly patients are the most underserved. Why? A lack of resources for both healthcare providers and families.”

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, yet we have one of the most expensive healthcare systems. The average American pays twice as much for their medical care than citizens of other countries. Often times it’s hard to understand how this can be when our society enjoys so many luxuries that others do not. According to an article written by Erin Schumaker for CBS News the Middle-class Americans getting crushed by rising health insurance costs. “Many people in the mid-range of income distribution don’t have very much savings,” Collins added. “People may avoid care, but at some point it becomes inevitable.”. Here are some facts to ponder:

1. The middle class has the most difficulty affording health care. High premiums and high deductibles lead the way. By having as little as $2000.00 in assets puts you out of range for many community, state and county programs.

2. Health insurance premiums for the middle class are rising faster than any other income group.

3. Middle-class families are less likely to qualify for government assistance programs such as Medicaid or CHIP, which provide free or low-cost health coverage to children from lower-income families, because they earn too much money.

4. There is a shortage of physicians in rural areas that serve poor populations where many people fall into the “middle” category between being eligible for government programs and not qualifying based on their income level

5. Fewer doctors are willing to work with Medicare patients because of low reimbursement rates and high administrative costs. Many Americans do not realize how Medicare works and that you could in reality end up with 5 deductibles in one year if you are in the hospital more often with 60 days in between hospitalizations.

6. Another group of people that are underserved in health care are those with chronic conditions such as cancer or diabetes because they require consistent monitoring from a doctor. Often these complex health care conditions require frequent office visits and coordination of care between all the specialists.

7. Middle-class people are more likely than any other group to go without needed treatment, or worse, die because of it.

We have included a video we recorded live discussing how Your Nurse Advocates Consulting can help meet the needs of this group. We are here to sort out, navigate, provide education, help you find resources and get your questions answered so you can make informed decisions and have your health care goals met. In this part one, we will talk about how we helped a family through a very difficult situation dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease.

For those looking for answers, the ADRC; Aging and Disability Resource Center, is a great place to start. Each county has one. For those that do not qualify for services, this is where we can step in and help. We will come along side you and help you every step of the way. Watch our video for exactly what we did to help a family get through an extremely difficult situation. We can do the same for you!

Conclusion: The middle class elderly are the most underserved population in health care because there nest egg that they worked so hard for prior to retirement keeps them from access to programs to help keep them at home. Your Nurse Advocates Consulting can provide a plan of action for families with loved ones who want quality eldercare but feel like it’s out of reach financially. We’ll work with you and your family on an individualized plan based on your own needs, budget, resources available, and accessibility considerations. Contact us today!

With over a combined total of 80 years of nursing experience in home health, hospice, Emergency Department, Quality, Case Management and Utilization Review we are well prepared to meet your needs. All of our nurses are Board Certified in Patient Advocacy. We can match your needs with the right resources. As patient advocates we go the extra step in putting a plan in place. We don’t just provide a list of resources and then leave the rest up to you. We walk the entire journey with you for as long as you would like the assistance. It could be a single service of putting a plan together based on a health concern or we can stay along side you for an extended period of time. It would be like having an affordable private nurse to consult with as needed. If it is hands on care you are looking for, we will assist you in finding the most appropriate resources and help you throughout the entire process.

Schedule your complimentary 15 minutes discovery call to see if we can help you and meet your needs. Click the schedule link to pick the best day and time for you! We are here and ready to serve.

As always, we appreciate you stopping by and spending some of your valuable time with us. Please comment or share this post to those we may be able to assist. We will answer all your questions. As owners of Your Nurse Advocate Consulting, LLC, Linda and I will answer all your questions personally so feel free to leave comments below or click the schedule link to set up a time when we can talk about your needs.

Join us next week to hear how Linda was able to help a long distance family care for their father. To hear it live, join us Sunday May 23 at 6:00 p.m. CST on our Facebook page.

Have an awesome week,

Pam, Mary and Linda