Economy crush? You kidding me!

[tloonya]

I just read this post below and I want to insert my 2 cents...

/I don't really understand how people don't think that the US economy is going to crash hard.../

I do not believe in US economy crashing hard anytime soon because of what I see in my store.
People in PA just got hefty increase in their foodstamp amount.
Gov is paying for senior citizen's daily entertainment such as: free transportation to and from daycare. 2 free feedings. Nurses on premises of adult care. One day care employing about 40 people. Just for elder's entertainment!!! And they are about to prolong it until 7pm with one more free feeding!!!
$75 per person per day is allowed!
Gov just opened a new program (which is great and usefull AND will run properly) they will pay stores to carry healthy items and even supply stores with free equipment as refrigeration etc...

I can think of some more I am sure (like demolision of perfectly nice stadiums and building biggers and betters) but why would I think economy is in trouble after all above mentioned?

[tskeeter]

I find it quite interesting that the writer considers adult day care, meals, on-site emergency medical care/medication dispensing, and transportation to/from day care to be government funded entertainment.

I would expect that most who use these services use them for respite from 24/7/365 care giving or to allow the care giver to continue to work. A situation such as the writer describes allows family care givers to provide much of the care a relative needs. Take away these services, and it is probable that many, if not all, of the participants in the adult day care would be in a skilled nursing facility at a much higher cost. Since the adult day care is a government funded program, I would expect that if participants were in a skilled nursing facility, their care would have to be paid by Medicaid, not by the participant's family. Does anyone really think that 24/7 skilled nursing care (Medicaid requires that services it pays for be provided by a 24/7 skilled nursing facility) is less expensive than adult day care?

Overall, I'd bet the return on society's investment in providing the adult day care is pretty high when you consider the cost of skilled in-patient care care, 24/7, or the adverse impact on the economy if working care givers had to give up their jobs (and significantly reduce purchases of cars, appliances, homes, etc.) in order to provide 24/7 care for a family member. Remember, your job, and your business, depend on people having money to spend. If you reduce what others have to spend, you may find yourself without a job, or with a bankrupt business, as a side effect. Just ask the people who used to build homes, sell appliances, clean Las Vegas hotel rooms, or prepare and serve restaurant meals what happens when people don't have money to spend!

[Deleted]

Entertainment? That's entertainment? Geez. We'll see how entertaining you think it is if/when you need to avail yourself of these services in order to earn a living while caring for an elderly parent or a parent with Alzheimer's.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

. . o O ("entertainment?")

[tloonya]

/I would expect that most who use these services use them for respite from 24/7/365 care giving or to allow the care giver to continue to work./

Wrong! You have NO idea about these services.
People who attending are ABLE elders.

The Enterteinment consisting of:
1. Dancing (with a dancing teacher)
2. Singing (with mic by elders on the stage)
3. Bingo (no one there is on a wheelchairs I assure you)
4. Chess games
5. Chorus (with instructor) and whatever else that they doing out there.
BDay party are thrown weekly with some Manichevitz wine...
and all of it paid by medicare...or medicade.

So these adults otherwise would be sitting home watching TV and gossiping with friends on the phone. Some thought it would be a horribly boring and have decided to get them 'life'...

[Deleted]

Seniors vote. They will continue to get perks no matter how bad the economy is.

[raeoflyte]

Even if they are able bodied, it doesn't mean that they are capable of taking care of themselves and being alone for 8-10 hours per day when their family/full time care givers are at work.

My grandmother can participate in exercise classes, but she can't see the stove knobs well enough to know if they are on or off, and that is when she remembers that they could be on.

If the state paid day care keeps seniors in their own home a few years longer I do believe it will save money in the long run.

[NancysSummerSip]

"Able" has nothing to do with a wheelchair. You can be disabled and need assistance, and never need a wheelchair. My mom is at that stage.

Dancing, singing, bingo, etc., is some form of entertainment, but also a form of social and mental stimulation. It keeps these folks from getting stuck to their chairs, wasting away in their homes, and keeps them feeling a little better and a little more useful. Yes, they vote, and good for them. That's more than a lot of young people can say. But I would hardly call any of the items listed "perks." They are small, simple pleasures that I hope are still around when, and if, I get that old.

[runewell]

Apr 27, 2011 15:13:11 GMT -5 tloonya said:

why would I think economy is in trouble after all above mentioned?

How are we paying for all of what you see?

[Deleted]

We were at the nursing home playing charades and group pictionary yesterday when there was a fire drill... those in the wheelchairs were not necessarily the ones who needed the most help...

A chess board and karoke machine and bingo game don't cost much, and are reused over and over... and i'd bet a few teachers vollunteer their time... or accept a minimal fee... and again, as people have stated... physical and mental stimulation pays for itself in the long run...

[tskeeter]

The Enterteinment consisting of:
1. Dancing (with a dancing teacher)
2. Singing (with mic by elders on the stage)
3. Bingo (no one there is on a wheelchairs I assure you)
4. Chess games
5. Chorus (with instructor) and whatever else that they doing out there.
BDay party are thrown weekly with some Manichevitz wine...
and all of it paid by medicare...or medicade.

So these adults otherwise would be sitting home watching TV and gossiping with friends on the phone. Some thought it would be a horribly boring and have decided to get them 'life'...

Well, I guess we could line up all the oldsters and have them stare at the wall for the day. But, then, I'm hoping that society will be more generous than that when I'm at the point where I can't care for myself any longer.

[Opti]

I have no idea how Adult day care is funded in PA. I do know in NJ only 100 days a year can be paid for by Medicare in a skilled nursing home situation. There are volunteers that come to nursing homes to help with recreation for the residents so its possible some of those people tloony sees are volunteers not paid employees.