Murder-Suicide of Elderly Couple Worried About Healthcare Bills
An elderly couple dead after an apparent murder-suicide is a devastating headline to read. However, when their healthcare debt is to blame, it feels shameful. Learn more about the story here.
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An elderly couple near Ferndale, Washington may have given into the stressors of financial struggles from looming healthcare bills. An article published on wtap, an NBC affiliate, reported that dispatchers received a call on the morning of August 7th from 77-year-old Brian Jones. He told the dispatcher, "I am going to shoot myself.’ The dispatcher tried to keep the man on the phone while he activated emergency services. However, Jones told the dispatcher, "We will be in the front bedroom.”
When the police arrived, they tried to contact anyone inside the home without success. After an hour, they sent in a robot-mounted camera and found the man dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was lying next to his 76-year old wife, Patricia Whitney-Jones, who was also dead from a gunshot wound that investigators believed was caused by Jones. Detectives are calling this a likely murder-suicide and report that they found several notes citing ongoing medical problems for Jones' wife that the couple could not afford.
America's Elderly Healthcare Financial Crisis
Did you know that the U.S. spends twice as much on healthcare than any other developed nation around the world? It's estimated that 18 percent of our gross domestic product each year goes to support our healthcare system. Many older adults incur higher than average medical costs related to chronic health conditions. One study estimated that a couple who retired in 2017 at the age of 65 needed $280,000 in savings to cover future healthcare costs such as premiums for doctors and medications. If these elderly individuals also required additional services such as long-term care or assisted living, they would need additional funds to cover these costs.
As a nurse, you know that individuals with chronic illness spend more money and time in the healthcare system. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that half of the population accounts for 97 percent of US health spending. Many people struggle to keep up with drug costs as well. A whopping 30 percent of people age 50-64 have difficulty paying for prescription drugs. For many people, not having their medication leads to exacerbations of their conditions, and ultimately, they land back in the hospital, where care is even more expensive.
In a recent New York Times article, Paula Span reported even more details about the future of healthcare for America's aged population. By 2029, middle-income older adults will need between $25,000 to $74,000 to pay for just one year of long-term care services. While most older adults will need at least some increased level of care, the majority won't be able to afford it. With the increase in the elderly population, we aren't talking about a small number of people. In fact, it's estimated that this group of adults will almost double in the next decade, and will consist of approximately 14.4 million people. While many will want to age-in-place at home, some will require care that simply can't be delivered outside of the confines of a nursing facility. This will leave them searching for ways to afford the level of care they require.
When Financial Stress is Too Much
As you think about the future forecast of healthcare costs in America, what comes to mind? Do you feel that we may see more stories like Jones and his wife? Most of us were raised to respect our elders. Some of us even went into nursing to make a difference for people just like this couple. The thought of older adults seeing their healthcare needs as a burden that they can't handle saddens me in so many ways.
What Do You Think?
Tell us what you think about this devastating story. What do you think the future of healthcare holds for older adults? Do you have any thoughts on how the healthcare community can impact our future in a positive way for our elders? Share your thoughts below.
