Shortage Of Respite Care Volunteers Jeopardizes Us Healthcare System Stability

Although it is not a topic that makes headlines, the shortage of respite care volunteers jeopardizes the US healthcare system's stability and may lead to a number of unforeseen consequences within a...

Although it is not a topic that makes headlines, the shortage of respite care volunteers jeopardizes the US healthcare system’s stability and may lead to a number of unforeseen consequences within a short decade or two. Although there are always friends and family members who are at times acting in the respite care volunteer capacity, it is the adequately trained individual that is sought out by those who are lacking the appropriate social network – and these individuals are becoming the majority by a wide margin.

If you do not believe how disastrous this potential shortage of well trained respite care volunteers is going to be to the United States healthcare system as you know it today, consider the short term and also long term possibilities.

* Family crisis situations are not dealt with on a timely manner. While a half day respite care provision may have enabled the breadwinner of the family to find a job due to impending layoffs, the failure of having such care available leads to the actual realization of the job loss and subsequent homelessness of not only the family but also the patient.

* Child abuse runs rampant in families where the primary parent caregiver does not receive some time off. Remember that dealing with a possibly terminally ill or gravely disabled child takes a toll not only physically but also emotionally and psychologically. Without time to attend support group meetings or just get away, the caregiver will eventually lose control of the penned up frustration, anger, despair, hopelessness, and rage and take it out on the child itself.

* Elder abuse is underreported in many instances but it is a very real outcropping of lacking resources for respite care. Adult caregivers are essentially providing support and care for two separate families and households and pulling double time without any breaks or days off is going to wear rather thin. Remember that elder abuse is not always achieved via actual physical abuse but also through neglect when the caregiver simply curtails the caring times and activities. This of course directly impacts the overall health of the elderly patient.

The result for any and all of these actions is an increase in hospitalizations, long term care arrangements, professional home health needs, and also the institutionalization of individuals who would ordinarily thrive in their own homes. As such, the insurance industry, the welfare system, and private donors are going to find themselves taxed to the limit. Before long, respite organizations are going to turn away clients and the cycle only worsens.

A collapse of the US healthcare system’s stability is imminent – unless the shortage of respite care volunteers is reversed. Although it is not likely that this will happen in a large scale, the creation of incentive driven volunteer programs may be a good beginning for encouraging more individuals to become trained and then make use of their training for charitable purposes. Paid training, gasoline reimbursement, and tax incentives may all work in concert to make this kind of volunteer opportunity an attractive opportunity.

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