Hear Joni talk about why long-term care for a child or adult living with a disability is so important.
See what Joni has to say about long-term care here.
SHAUNA: I’m Shauna, with Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Thank you for joining us!
JONI: Well, I’m going to tell you about a big need in our country. My friend Larry lived for over 40 years with quadriplegia. He had come to Christ shortly after his accident and his wife was able to take good care of him, bless her heart. But 10 years ago, she passed away and Larry [in his wheelchair] was without his life partner and his caregiver. He wasn’t able to stay in their apartment, he couldn’t afford caregivers from agencies, and he had no children to take him in. And Larry is an example of the tremendous need in our country for long-term care. There are thousands like him.
So, what happens to people like Larry? You don’t have to be a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. You and your spouse could be doing fine [good health, a small savings account, a circle of friends] and then, before you know it, you’re in your late 70s with a serious injury. That is when most people start thinking about long-term care [when it’s too late]. Or you could have an adult child with a disability. Well, according to Medicare, 8 million people with disabilities under the age of 65 have Medicare, but it does not usually cover long-term support services.
So, if you are the parent of an adult child with a disability, start early planning for their long-term needs. And when I say early, I mean while they are still young children. It gives you a chance to learn about residential services and what they cost. And you certainly want to plan for your adult child’s long-term care before you age and need help yourself. Psalm 90 says, “Teach us to number our days, O Lord, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom.” And it takes wisdom to foresee that time when either you will need lengthy care, or your disabled adult child will. Caregiving agencies are expensive and so are residential facilities. But like the Bible says, there is safety in an abundance of counselors. And believe me, there are many good Christian advisors who provide wealth management. Whether you are counseled to invest financially in long-term care insurance, or tap into your savings, a pension or other retirement or investment income, it is a delicate balance to not only safeguard your disabled child’s future, but your own future.
And speaking of the future – you might be wondering what happened to Larry! Was he forced to go into a county nursing home? [that’s often where many adults with disabilities are forced to live and I feel that just shouldn’t be]. But Larry ended up so blessed. He held fast to hope, and he also held fast to Psalm 68: “God sets the solitary in families.” And that’s exactly what happened to my quadriplegic friend. A Mennonite family had great compassion on Larry and praise the Lord, as an act of true Christian service – sacrificial service – the family invited Larry to live with them, and they provided the care he needed. This is exactly what God means when he speaks of settling those who have no place else to live in a family. Yes, it’s costly to demonstrate that kind of love, but it is exactly like the love that Jesus showed us. And by the way, Larry passed away but, oh, his adopted family sure does miss him!
You know, we’ve got great resources at Joni and Friends to help you as you plan long-term care for your child with a disability. As you would guess, I have more to say on America’s need for long-term care that I’ve posted today at joniradio.org. Again, that’s joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends