A recent report compiled and released by joint efforts of the AARP and the federal government reveal alarming statistics regarding long term care for the disabled in this country.  Perhaps the first figure to stand out is the fact nearly 55 million Americans have some level of disability and of those, nearly one-third will require long term care due to their disabilities.  And if you think disability is reserved only for the elderly, think again.  22%, or 12 million, of those who are considered legally disabled are under the age of 65.  The need for solid solutions in long term care has long since been on the governmental backburner.  This is no doubt one of the most neglected of societal issues. 

Further, those family members who bear the brunt of the financial obligations of those who are disabled continues to rise, both in the numbers as well as the money that’s applied toward their loved ones’ needs.  Consider $375 billion dollars that was contributed in 2007 by family members who provide for their disabled loved ones versus the $97 billion spent by Medicaid, and the reality begins to emerge of just how important this issue is.

Long term care disability is defined as any chronic disease or serious accident that inhibits the ability to work or severely inhibits one’s quality of life.   With the vast majority of earmarked Medicare funds going to nursing home facilities or other assisted living facilities and due to the guidelines that many simply don’t qualify for, it’s a “fend for yourself” attitude that seems to rule the day. 

Disabilities strike all racial or ethnic groups and isn’t partial to any age group, either.  With today’s bankruptcy filings of General Motors along with every other story that seems to announce yet another big company’s demise, this issue, important as it is, won’t be addressed anytime soon.

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In Little Rock today, former President Bill Clinton announced his certainty of the economy making a recovery within a year.  But he also says he’d be surprised if it only took six months.  The strong supporter of both

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the newly elected president and the newly passed stimulus bill says the key is getting the private banking system working again.  His “bridge over troubled waters” analogy doesn’t exactly fly with many.  And here’s why:

2008 showed a grand total of 2.6 million job losses.  The Associated Press is reporting nearly five million Americans who are currently receiving unemployment benefits.  Every indicator we rely on in this country shows continued job losses throughout this year.

2008 showed personal bankruptcies up 33% from 2007.  The total filings for personal bankruptcies in 2008 were well over one million.  We also saw a 62% increase in business filings for a total of over 10,000.

And the foreclosures?  2.2 million in 2008 alone. 

There continues to be a higher number of banks, hospitals and finance companies that are filing suits against customers who can’t make their payments.  Oil prices are on the rise yet again and rest assured, marriages aren’t safe either; they’re falling apart as indicated by the rise of divorce filings.  It’s difficult for many couples to remain together when there’s so much uncertainty and fear regarding their financial lives.  That fear can lead to resentment, and of course, resentment leads to damaged marriages. 

The job losses can be measured by the increasing numbers of Americans with no health insurance.  Many are going to emergency rooms when they’re ill and although most take their financial responsibilities seriously, there are those who simply can’t make payments.  This is leading to major problems for the U.S. healthcare system. 

General Motors and Chrysler are both once again seeking billions of dollars to keep their companies above water.  And those of us who are addicted to our breaking news emails will remember the one this afternoon that read something along the lines of, “Dow closes at its lowest in over six years”.

I’m certainly no economist, but I don’t see how the American economy can recover in just a single year.  Still playing devil’s advocate, consider this:

Even if the five million who are currently out of jobs were to land positions tomorrow, the lion’s share of their money from their first paychecks will go towards catching up their utility bills and mortgages (if they still have them).  They will be paying back family members who stepped up and provided assistance, assuming those family members weren’t struggling as well.  And they will be rescheduling little Billy’s dental appointment that they couldn’t afford while unemployed.  Priorities won’t be to run out and buy a new automobile in an effort to make their contributions to these troubled automakers, nor will they be running out to apply for a new Visa at their local banks to jumpstart their own local economies.  It’s not because John Q. Citizen has no interest in these things, it’s because at this point, it’s about survival for so many. 

We pay such close attention to the major news media and are constantly scanning the big networks’ news sites.  It only takes a few minutes browsing the smaller “hometown” newspapers’ websites to get a different perspective.   And while browsing these lesser-known sites, it becomes crystal clear that this economy simply can’t correct itself in just twelve months, as President Clinton believes.