This past month, my family and I have been reviewing all available options for the future care of me and my wife Ulla. At 78 years old, I am finding that I can no longer take care of myself and my wife the way I once could. In truth, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been able to do so on my own, but learning to accept and admit it has been a difficult process.
My son John is still unmarried and without children so much of the burden has fallen on his shoulders this past four years. There has not been a week since Ulla and I began having serious health issues that John hasn’t exceeded 40 hours in caring for us and it has often been quite a bit more than that. My son Jim is a firefighter, runs a carpet-cleaning business, sits on the City Council and raises four children. My daughter Kathy is a teacher, is pursuing her masters degree, is campaigning for County Council and has two children. Jim and his family come by the house to help out whenever possible. Kathy gives me my insulin shot and medication every morning, handles my finances and brings her family to see us every week. The rest of the family contributes whenever they can.
In reviewing our options this past month, we have considered moving into an assisted living complex. The facility we toured seems pleasant and adequate for our needs but the prices are extremely high. The other alternative is to hire a reliable agency to provide qualified full-time caregivers on a daily basis which would also be extremely expensive.
There is no option on the table that is not costly. Continuing to allow the family to bear the responsibility is the most affordable option in terms of finance but may end up costing us the most by robbing our children of opportunities.
Hillary Clinton once said that it takes a village to raise a child. These days, it takes a village to care for Grandma and Grandpa, too.
Looking at the statistics, my family is not alone in this situation. According to a 2005 survey from Campbell-Ewald Health, 13 million Americans are currently involved in caring for elderly parents. American families are providing $257 billion in free care for their elderly relatives annually. Nearly 20 percent of the American work force is involved in this care, costing employers $11.4 billion dollars in productivity each year. According to a study by the Families and Work Institute, men are just as involved as women and many of these caregivers have children depending on them as well.
Health care for the elderly has accounted for over $100 billion in spending the past 5 years. By the year 2020, the number of senior citizens in America is expected to double to 70 million and it is estimated that 12 million of these seniors will need nursing care. This will increase the tax burden substantially. About 1 in 8 Americans were elderly in 1994. One in five will be elderly by the year 2030. How are the young going to pay enough in taxes to support the needs of the elderly? If they can support them, will there still be enough money left to pay for new roads, good schools and our national defense?
Do the supply-side political gurus of the day plan on outsourcing the care of our elderly along with the rest of our jobs? Is our next generation of senior citizens going to be shipped off to Mexico to live in factory nursing homes?
Each person has an obligation to prepare for the final stages in life. We all have an obligation to try to live healthy lives so those around us won’t be forced to carry the responsibilities we should bear on our own later in life. Physical fitness, nutrition and avoiding unhealthy practices is something we should do for ourselves but also for our children.
We also have an obligation to prepare financially for retirement. Spending all of our money on ball games, trips to Las Vegas, alcohol, cigarettes or the lottery may seem thrilling at the time but there is a price for all that. Down the road, when you are older and ready to retire, your children will have to pick up the tab for your vices. Instead, we should balance our enjoyment of life with our responsibilities. It’s OK to eat your share of the pie, but don’t eat the next generation’s, too.
Our current government has a huge responsibility as well. Spending has gotten so out of hand and we are accumulating such huge deficits that it will take several administrations and half a dozen decades to pay off our debt. Our government has let our children down. We’ve borrowed from our future. Fiscally responsible leaders need to take the helm of this country and lead us away from our excesses. The American people need a leader who has a plan for the future.
In the coming month, I will have to make a decision concerning my family. It isn’t simply my own future at stake but the futures of each of my children and each of my grandchildren. When making policy in government or decisions concerning the family, one must always consider the greater good. The decisions we make must be based on our immediate needs but also the needs of those we love and hope to see succeed. “Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.” — 1 Corinthians 10:24.
Pete Chalos, a longtime teacher, coach and public servant in Vigo County, was mayor of Terre Haute for 16 years. Send e-mail to pchalos@netscape.com.
Pete Chalos
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March 8, 2006
Pete Chalos: The future of elderly care in America
- Pete Chalos
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- Pete Chalos: Fluoridation removal should be on local agenda Last year, 11 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee unions, representing over 7,000 environmental and public health professionals, called for a moratorium on drinking water fluoridation programs across the country. I wrote a two-part commentary exploring the evidence that inspired the letter these professionals sent to the U.S. Congress.
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Pete Chalos: Traditional family unit has served America well
Much has been said concerning the institution of marriage this past few years. Elements of our society have been trying their best to redefine marriage. Every American tradition associated with raising a family has been questioned by some group or another. Some feel the rules concerning marriage and family have changed because our society has taken progressive leaps beyond any society the world has ever known. Others feel we are losing touch with the time-tested wisdom of our fathers and the tradition this great nation was founded upon.
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Pete Chalos: Never too soon to pay attention to 2008 election
The next presidential election is already a hot topic of discussion in the press and we aren’t even close to the election year yet. Everyone is interested in finding out which candidate will have an edge come 2008.
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Pete Chalos: Community needs leadership from best and brightest
What does it take to win an election? Last week, we saw the climax of months of hard work and well-organized campaigning. Some candidates had been preparing to run for several months or even a few years. Spouses, children, family, friends and colleagues had been organizing, recruiting and promoting before most voters were even aware an election was coming up. It takes a lot of time and effort and a great deal of commitment to win an election.
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Pete Chalos: A community must invest in itself to improve itself
This month, the Terre Haute City Council voted in favor of the proposed tax increment finance (TIF) district on Indiana 46, passing it 6-3. Council members Jim Chalos, Rich Dunkin, Chuck Miles, Todd Nation, Shelva Warner and Cliff Lambert voted for the resolution.
This evening, the Vigo County Redevelopment Commission is going to conduct a public hearing concerning the details of the resolution, outlining the specifics. Upon their confirmation, the resolution will go back to the Terre Haute City Council for adoption on May 11. -
Pete Chalos: In Iraq, we must get job done, then get out
You can call it what you want to call it but what is happening right now in the country of Iraq is a civil war. Fancy words like “insurgency” aren’t fooling anyone. You’ve got two sides fighting over the fate of a country. That is a civil war.
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Pete Chalos: America must maintain high standards of immigration
My father John Chalos arrived from Greece at Ellis Island in 1910 for the purpose of working in Seattle. He ended up losing his ticket while the train was stopped in Terre Haute.
- Pete Chalos: Your vote counts in numerous and hidden ways
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Pete Chalos: State has moved too quickly on Major Moves initiative
The reason the government builds fire stations, roads, sidewalks and parks is to accommodate the general public. No single private citizen can afford to build all of these facilities on his own so we all chip in and pay taxes. As a result, we all end up benefiting from the use of the facilities. Government facilities are built for the public and they belong to the public. That’s the basic premise of a tax-supported Democratic society. Government by the people and for the people.
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Pete Chalos: City’s leaders, citizens must be willing to support progress
We live in an extremely competitive society. From early childhood, we are taught the difference between winning and losing. In some families, more time is spent learning the difference between winning and losing than the difference between right and wrong.
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Pete Chalos: The future of elderly care in America
This past month, my family and I have been reviewing all available options for the future care of me and my wife Ulla. At 78 years old, I am finding that I can no longer take care of myself and my wife the way I once could. In truth, it’s been quite a while since I’ve been able to do so on my own, but learning to accept and admit it has been a difficult process.
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Pete Chalos: China poised to become next big economic, military power
“If the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition onto the target zone on China’s territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons. … If the Americans are determined to interfere, we will be determined to respond. … We Chinese will prepare ourselves for the destruction of all of the cities east of Xian. Of course, the Americans will have to be prepared that hundreds of cities will be destroyed by the Chinese.”
This statement was made a few months ago to members of the press by General Zhu Chenghu of the People’s Liberation Army, also a professor at China’s National Defense University, concerning U.S. opposition to China’s threats to invade Taiwan. -
Pete Chalos: Women’s basketball flourishing in the Valley
This month, the ISU women’s basketball team recorded its 18th straight win. The victory also marked the milestone 100th career win for ISU women’s head coach Jim Wiedie. He and Edith Godleski are the only two women’s basketball coaches to achieve that mark in ISU history. Local golf enthusiasts may remember Edith from her impressive record in local golf tournaments.
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Pete Chalos: Lack of opportunity raises concerns for future
Over the years, I have been invited to speak to numerous service groups, church groups and political organizations within the community of Terre Haute. After sharing a few of my own thoughts and ideas, I always take the opportunity to answer questions from the crowd. I look forward to these question and answer sessions. In fact, it’s my favorite part of the meeting.
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Pete Chalos: Diligent oversight of utilities an important mission
At the end of January, ExxonMobil Corp. revealed record-breaking profits, the highest quarterly profits ever reported by a public company in the history of America. Exxon’s annual profit was $36.13 billion. That’s a 42 percent rise since last year.
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Pete Chalos: Major Moves plan could be major disaster for Indiana
The governor is at it again. First, he closed down license branches in rural areas, forcing many Indiana citizens to take a day off from work and drive long distances in order to get anything done concerning their license or picture identification (which he made a requirement for voter registration). Then he established an Inspector General to act as his own personal prosecutor (along with a staff of lawyers in every Indiana county). Then he crammed his plan for daylight-saving time down our throats.
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Pete Chalos: Use baseball classic to unite us, not further divide us
No sound is more exciting than the crack of a baseball bat hitting the ball. It’s quite an experience to watch your favorite team score that winning run in the bottom of the ninth or pull off a double-play to ensure their victory. The crowd roars and stands to its feet.
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Pete Chalos: This nation needs purpose, trusted leaders to show the way
Just like individuals, nations need goals. In the 29th chapter of the book of Proverbs it is written, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” In the absence of a unified sense of purpose, progress is replaced with unrest. Like any nation, America needs a national vision, a national direction and national goals.
- Don’t get duped, be skeptical and ask smart questions
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Twiggy, the Waterskiing Squirrel
