Let's Talk New Mexico 2/29, 8am: A recent series by KFF Health News and the New York Times found that roughly 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 every day until 2030. Most expect to live into their 80s and 90s as the price tag for long-term care explodes, outpacing inflation and reaching a half-trillion dollars a year, according to federal researchers.
Our country has no comprehensive system of long-term care, unlike other industrialized countries and it’s getting more difficult and expensive to buy long-term care insurance. The elder care sector of home health, assisted living and nursing homes is plagued by labor shortages and spots in assisted living facilities have become unaffordable for most people. On this episode of Let’s Talk New Mexico we’ll speak with one of the reporters who published this series, and we’ll hear from state officials and others on resources available here.
Are you worried about your future when you’ll need more care? Are you a caregiver or trying to navigate all this for aging parents or other relatives? What policies do you think we need to ensure we’re caring for our elders with dignity? Email LetsTalk@kunm.org, leave a voice memo by clicking on the link below or call in live Thursday morning at 8 at (505) 277-5866.
GUESTS:
- Chris Burmeister, Director, Division of Health Improvement, New Mexico Department of Health
- Jordan Rau, Reporter, KFF Health News
- Kevin Robinson-Avila, son and brother who navigated long-term care systems for his mother and brother in Albuquerque
- Jennifer Scott, Ombud, Aging and Longterm Services Department
- Adrienne Smith, CEO, New Mexico Caregivers Coalition
Related reading and resources:
EnCasa Care Connections program to provide home health aides - Encuentro
New Mexico Respite Provider Registry - New Mexico Caregivers Coalition
Reporting abuse, neglect, and exploitation - Division of Health Improvement
New MexiCare program- Aging and Long-Term Services Department
"Nursing home found negligent in resident's choking death after videotapes destroyed"- Albuquerque Journal
"‘Everywhere you go is short staffed’: New Mexico nursing homes in crisis," New Mexico In Depth
"ABQ's immigrant owned home healthcare cooperative opens," Albuquerque Journal
"U.S. Immigration Policy Threatens Shake-Up In Home Health Business," NPR
