Comments on: On health care, women and caregiving http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/ Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carol D. O'Dell http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1603 Carol D. O'Dell Sat, 06 Oct 2007 00:42:27 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1603 Sad to say, I'm not so sure we will make true strides in this election in regard to health care. I can't help but wonder, as time goes on, and males become primary caregivers (right now, it's 44% males) due to the fact that families are smaller-- and as women become the primary/highest paid family member--when that happens, will health care issues suddenly become a "crisis" when it hits the male segment of our population in full force? It's inevitable, given ten years or so. I already know of lots of only sons, or two son families--and they are oftentimes, wonderful caregivers. (My brother-in-law was to his father, mother, and then sadly, his brother--and he did so with strength and tenderness). In the meantime...I certainly don't see the health care systems we have in place in any hurry to change the system until forced. By the way, I was the "daughter/sandwich generation" caregiver who quit her job to care fo her mother. I don't regreat it. Since her passing, I feel I've had a rebirth that only caregiving and wiping the slate clean can offer. I'll be on CNN.com October 11th at 9:30a.m. talking about this very issue. I hope you'll log on. ~Carol D. O'Dell author of MOTHERING MOTHER available on Amazon and in most bookstores Sad to say, I’m not so sure we will make true strides in this election in regard to health care. I can’t help but wonder, as time goes on, and males become primary caregivers (right now, it’s 44% males) due to the fact that families are smaller– and as women become the primary/highest paid family member–when that happens, will health care issues suddenly become a “crisis” when it hits the male segment of our population in full force?

It’s inevitable, given ten years or so. I already know of lots of only sons, or two son families–and they are oftentimes, wonderful caregivers. (My brother-in-law was to his father, mother, and then sadly, his brother–and he did so with strength and tenderness).

In the meantime…I certainly don’t see the health care systems we have in place in any hurry to change the system until forced.

By the way, I was the “daughter/sandwich generation” caregiver who quit her job to care fo her mother. I don’t regreat it. Since her passing, I feel I’ve had a rebirth that only caregiving and wiping the slate clean can offer.

I’ll be on CNN.com October 11th at 9:30a.m. talking about this very issue. I hope you’ll log on.

~Carol D. O’Dell
author of MOTHERING MOTHER
available on Amazon and in most bookstores

]]> By: misscripchick http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1601 misscripchick Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:00:58 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1601 i think a big issue is that we need reform in the way medicaid/medicare does things... (well who isn't saying this?). but for example, the disability community has been lobbying for the Community Choice Act (formerly known as MiCASSA)that would allow people to have access to home-based services thus A.) taking the dependence off of unpaid caregivers and B.) keeping people out of nursing homes/institutions. right now in a lot of states, if you need care, you have no options except to have family "take care" of you or be institutionalized... if we could change this, so much money would be saved. makes sense what you said in the beginning about holding out for the perfect system and not doing anything in the meantime.. i think a big issue is that we need reform in the way medicaid/medicare does things… (well who isn’t saying this?). but for example, the disability community has been lobbying for the Community Choice Act (formerly known as MiCASSA)that would allow people to have access to home-based services thus A.) taking the dependence off of unpaid caregivers and B.) keeping people out of nursing homes/institutions. right now in a lot of states, if you need care, you have no options except to have family “take care” of you or be institutionalized…

if we could change this, so much money would be saved.

makes sense what you said in the beginning about holding out for the perfect system and not doing anything in the meantime..

]]> By: kate.d. http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1597 kate.d. Fri, 05 Oct 2007 17:43:53 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1597 you find the lack of HRC being referred to as "clinton" almost everywhere - i've practically stopped noticing. which is kinda sad. if i remember correctly, she's responded to the question of how she feels about it by pretty much saying, "well, my husband kinda snuck in there and took the clinton handle, and people get confused, plus so many have known and referred to me as hillary for years already that i don't have a big problem with it." you find the lack of HRC being referred to as “clinton” almost everywhere – i’ve practically stopped noticing. which is kinda sad. if i remember correctly, she’s responded to the question of how she feels about it by pretty much saying, “well, my husband kinda snuck in there and took the clinton handle, and people get confused, plus so many have known and referred to me as hillary for years already that i don’t have a big problem with it.”

]]> By: Cara http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1596 Cara Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:47:44 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1596 Yeah, actually, I noticed that too and was not too impressed. But obviously I still had enough ground to cover without that. Yeah, actually, I noticed that too and was not too impressed. But obviously I still had enough ground to cover without that.

]]> By: soupcann314 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1593 soupcann314 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:11:30 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1593 Actually, I just glanced through the entire article and she does that every time. WTF? Actually, I just glanced through the entire article and she does that every time. WTF?

]]> By: soupcann314 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1592 soupcann314 Thu, 04 Oct 2007 21:10:33 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1592 Also - what's with Feiner referring to Hillay Rodham Clinton as "Hillary" in the quote above and referring to John Edwards as "Edwards." Not cool. Also – what’s with Feiner referring to Hillay Rodham Clinton as “Hillary” in the quote above and referring to John Edwards as “Edwards.” Not cool.

]]> By: Jay http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1591 Jay Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:53:44 +0000 http://thecurvature.com/2007/10/04/on-health-care-women-and-caregiving/#comment-1591 You're right on. I haven't looked at the specifics of any of the plans and don't know which one I prefer, but providing support for caregivers is a good thing no matter what. More women than men end up as caregivers for a lot of reasons. Sure, social expectations play a role, but so does the income gap: if someone has to quit work to care for an aging parent, it makes sense for the lower-paid person to quit, and the lower-paid person is often the woman in a heterosexual relationship. (And of course one of the justifications for the income gap is that women take more time off...welcome to the patriarchal sit-spin.) In addition, women live longer than men and men are more likely to have disabling strokes and heart attacks, although not necessarily more likely to become demented. A long-winded way of saying you're right. If we say we have to fix patriarchal expectations before we have better health-care policy in the US, we'll wait a looong time. You’re right on. I haven’t looked at the specifics of any of the plans and don’t know which one I prefer, but providing support for caregivers is a good thing no matter what.

More women than men end up as caregivers for a lot of reasons. Sure, social expectations play a role, but so does the income gap: if someone has to quit work to care for an aging parent, it makes sense for the lower-paid person to quit, and the lower-paid person is often the woman in a heterosexual relationship. (And of course one of the justifications for the income gap is that women take more time off…welcome to the patriarchal sit-spin.) In addition, women live longer than men and men are more likely to have disabling strokes and heart attacks, although not necessarily more likely to become demented.

A long-winded way of saying you’re right. If we say we have to fix patriarchal expectations before we have better health-care policy in the US, we’ll wait a looong time.

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