SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES. The political process can make it difficult to “see the forest for the trees.” Too often, special interests overshadow public interest. And rhetoric obscures facts.
A classic example of this myopia can be witnessed with a piece of legislation currently before the California State Legislature, the so-called “Continuing Care at Home” bill.
The forest in this scenario is us, everyone who is aging. More specifically and urgently, the forest is the older adult population who will soon need some level of assistance either at home or in a care community setting. The facts are our population is living longer, in greater numbers than ever. Ten thousand Americans are turning 65 every day. It is clearly in the public interest to prepare for the increasing demand for affordable aging services.
“Continuing Care at Home” — or “CCRCs without walls” — describes a promising new movement. The idea is to offer people who want to age in their own homes some of the benefits available to residents of continuing care retirement communities (or CCRCs). This includes access to experienced care management; home care and home healthcare; skilled nursing and rehabilitation; and hospice, among other services.
Best of all, this innovative connection (Eskaton refers to a similar program as “your home, our experience”) has potential to be a long-term solution; and one that acknowledges rather than disregards the extraordinary accomplishment of our extended life expectancy.
Legislators need to see the forest for the trees … and see the writing on the “walls” around CCRCs. On both sides live older adults, including 78 million Boomers, their constituents.
