Health Newsfeed # 1099
ELDER CARE COST OF DIVORCE
Most of us picture ourselves in our final years surrounded by family, having our need for care and companionship met by loving children and grandchildren. But if there's one thing that's likely to mess up that comforting scenario, it's divorce.
A national survey of more than 8-thousand elderly people found that
divorced parents especially fathers were much less likely to have their grown children provide
for them in their twilight years. America's high divorce rate has weakened the traditional family
bonds, the study found, leaving many older divorced parents unable to count on their children
for personal or economic support. Study co-author Dr. Liliana Pezzin of Johns Hopkins.
It's not a good thing. It's something that really will increase the pressures
on public budgets to provide care that is currently being provided by family members on an
unpaid basis. Over the long haul, this is another health care financing crisis that is looming.
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Dr. Pezzin says the trend is disturbing and thinks that policy makers need to give more thought to how society will pay for elderly care.
At the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, I'm Tom Haederle reporting.
Copyright 1999 The Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved. Aug. 3 99/Demography
