CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson 303-810-1816

Email:   Inquiry_For_Pamela@pameladwilson.com

Golden, Colorado – July 24, 2020

The Caregiving Economy: Why $775 Billion Isn't the Solution

Golden CO- Caregiving expert Pamela D. Wilson offers her opinion on why $775 billion to fund universal child care and in-home elder care isn't the solution to rebuild the nation's caregiving economy.

Why Smoke and Mirror Spending Won't Solve Core Foundational Healthcare Issues

Investing $775 billion to rebuild the nation's caregiving economy is like pouring gasoline on a growing caregiving problem in the United States. The foundational issue at hand is the fact that the healthcare system in the United States does not emphasize health and wellness prevention—the healthcare system is financially rewarded for treating instead of preventing illness.

Solving Healthcare Disparities

Ending discussions about disadvantaged populations more affected by chronic disease begins with concrete, consistent, and implementable plans to educate the public—all of the people. Conversations and educations about health and wellness do not start in grade school, continue to middle or high school, college, or happen after that—they don't happen at all.

This lack of knowledge and education is the gap that results in caregivers now as young as twenty-years-old and Millennials caring for sick parents in their 40's and 50's. Caring for aging parents continues from generation to generation with 70 year-olds caring for 90-year old parents.

Health and Wellness Education Must be Mandatory Curriculum in Schools and Beyond

What if the subject of what happens when you get old becomes a mandatory component of education in the United States? How much money can be saved in health care premiums, health care expenses, treatments, and the reduction in individuals who are more susceptible to viruses—like the coronavirus— by supporting health and wellness education that results in a healthier population?

Healthcare education is not happening. It's easier for the government to lead consumers into believing that throwing money at the problem will solve the current healthcare issue. Investing in health and wellness education for the public is no longer an option, proven because of the present situation with the coronavirus that continues to affect vulnerable populations.

Is Being Old and Sick the Goal?

Do you want to be old and sick? Do you want your children to be old and sick? How many of you caring for aging parents wish for parents —or you in later years—to be reliant on government spending to take care of you?

How might life change for the better if consumers realized early in life that they had control over issues related to health, well-being, and aging? How might a focus on prevention change the future of healthcare?

Spend Taxpayer Money In the Right Places

The problem in closing disparity gaps in healthcare is that society can't get there with the government putting funding in the wrong places – plugging gaps instead of correcting foundational issues of a lack of focus on health and wellness. Be realistic—healthcare is a money-making business.

Hospitals, doctors, insurance companies make money from treating sick people. Don't get me wrong—there are healthcare professionals with hearts of gold who care but who battle system-wide issues that they are powerless to solve.

Health insurance doesn't pay for prevention—it should. Prevention is where the government must mandate health and wellness education in schools. Health insurance companies should be mandated to create and offer preventative health programs with a portion of the profits they make and to support care coordination efforts.

Rather than penalizing business segments to fund education, pull dollars from unspent budgets. Remove funding from budgets that have less of an impact on the future of health but are nice to have.

Corporations Bear Responsibility for Caregiver Education

Corporations must take health and wellness education one step further. While many companies offer health and wellness programs, employee participation is dismal. Wonder why?

Consumers lack knowledge about the relevance of health and wellness and the long term effects on aging, quality of life, and long-term care expenses related to Medicare and Medicaid. Corporations invest in family wellness in child care—but not elder care.

How many of these budgetary issues and entitlements could be solved by investing in education for the American people instead of pouring gasoline to fuel the problems of an aging population? Until we begin educating today's children and working adults, nothing will change.  

Healthcare Consumers Must Demand Change

Healthcare consumers must stand up to fight for change. We have to start speaking up against financial irresponsibility and wasteful government spending that does not solve the foundational issues of our healthcare system.  

We must have conversations about what happens when we get old, the challenges of caring for aging parents, and the importance of health and wellness education beginning in grade school and continuing throughout life. Our elders deserve dignity and quality of life at the end of life. Spending more money on public entitlement programs that respond to the issue is a Band-Aid that won't solve the long term problem facing healthcare and caregivers today. It's time for a change.

Pamela D. Wilson is a caregiving expert, advocate, and speaker who provides awareness, education, and support programs for caregivers. She is the host of The Caring Generation radio program and author of the book, The Caregiving Trap. More information about onsite and online video conferencing, virtual training and employee development, webinars, and online education for caregivers are available on Wilson's website or by calling Pamela directly at 303-810-1816.

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