A recent article published in the Courier Newsroom discussed the challenges of caring for those with chronic illnesses and the economic and financial burdens that families face when dealing with debilitating disease.
“Studies indicate that more than half of older Americans will eventually require long-term care, with the average lifetime long-term care costs for Americans over age 65 reaching $138,000, according to a 2016 study by the Urban Institute. For 15 percent of those seniors, those costs will reach at least a quarter of a million dollars.”
Although many rely on Medicare as a safety net for healthcare costs, Medicare does not help to cover the costs of in-home care, bathing assistance, or even long-term care needs. According to AARP the costs for in-home care support can be more than $50,000/per year.
Join TMA during Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill as we advocate to address these and other concerns important to our community. For more information https://www.myositis.org/blog/rare-disease-week-on-capitol-hill/
TMA is proud to be a member of National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc (NORD) which offers a Rare Caregiver Respite Program which will now be able to grant up to $800 per year/caregiver to those who qualify. For more information on the Rare Caregiver Respite Program contact NORD at 203.616.4328 or email CaregiverRespite@rarediseases.org