S.C.-Do you feel hopeful while WashingtonD.C. tries to use the all is well theory?

[meme]

With your future,instead of seeing the numbers exactly as they are?
From Senior Health news-
.."Meanwhile, last year’s Survey of Nursing Home, Assisted Living, Adult Day Services, and Home Care Costs, conducted annually by the Met Life Mature Market Institute, found that costs of long-term care continue to rise.
Nursing home care cost an average $87,235 a year in 2011, while assisted living base rates rose to $41,724 a year, according to Met Life. And while home health aide service rates stayed about the same at $21 an hour, adult day services increased to $70 a day.
The average senior entering into an independent living facilities is in his or her mid-80s, while the average age for seniors to enter assisted living is getting pushed back to late 80s or early 90s, according to a market researcher, and the median age of nursing home residents at nearly 83.
With many choosing to retire in their mid-60s, how many of today’s boomers will be able to afford these kinds of costs 15, 20, or even 25 years down the road?
Dwindling Government Benefits Programs-
The 65+ demographic currently makes up about 13% of the nation’s overall population, and it accounts for 36% of total U.S. personal health care expenses. The elderly and disabled account for about 25% of Medicaid enrollment, but in 2003 consumed about 70% of the program’s spending on services.
However, the number of those 65+ is expected to triple by 2050, with 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day until 2030.
It makes sense, then, to learn that government health care spending is accelerating at an alarming rate. Federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid are expected to more than double, says the Congressional Budget Office in its economic outlook for fiscal years 2012 to 2022. In fact, by 2022, federal spending on health care programs will climb to $1.8 trillion—or 7.3% of the nation’s GDP.
About half of that spending growth will come from Medicare (whose spending is expected to rise 90% in the next 10 years), and about a third from Medicaid, the CBO says.
Meanwhile, back in 2011, the Social Security and Medicare Board of Trustees released a report announcing that the two programs were dwindling and would reach exhaustion faster than previously expected.
The Social Security Trust Funds will be exhausted in 2036, and the Medicare Hospital Insurance Funds by 2024, according to the report, respectively one year and five years sooner than former projections."
oldman -a point well taken and I do agree.But until that day it does matter.If your thought comes to pass first-then no problem. But God also gave us the means to make changes.Even if by not giving up. Bless you.
Looks like most of us are on the same page.If only they had as much wisdom as those they serve.I also know back "when" that those in politics were protected from (nearly all) bad publicity.It is a mess that one day won't matter,but it is a staggering thought.Many voters need to see past the glitz and find the one that is there for 'we the people'.(As much as possible.)Of course when you are young..you do not think of getting old...and needing help.You work hard all your life and find a couple coins.I'm sure some of the facilities overspend on what is not actually needed too.We may see more homeless elderly and those who served their country so bravely..Something has to give and many of you could be right.Good to have something to fall back on.

[Oldman]

I see no hope that them fools will ever make anything better. Thank Heaven Christ will be coming before too long, and straighten everything out.

[Mel]

Not at all!! However as senior citizens who have gone through so much (rationing.stock market woes etc.) It is my belief that we could handle it more than other generations. Luckily I do have a tent,,,I guess??!

[dj]

I have a very simple lifestyle with low expenses land to grow some veggies and I am still working at two part time jobs and saving every week so I believe that I can weather the problems that may come. However my heart goes out to those less healthy or less able to care for themselves but considering that we have the vote I expect that politicians will have to take notice of baby boomers. With less money being spent on wars there should be a possibility for funds to be diverted to aged and disabled people but politics is not my strong point so I may have missed some point. In the mean time seniors with support from their families need to take charge as much as they can of their own lives and not rely totally on the Government for help

[Glenda]

I grew up knowing that SS and Medicare (and whatever else the government promised us would be there when we needed it,) probably will not reach that far into the future, so I have lived my life to be as self-sufficient as my ancestors were.

Promises and good intentions don't amount to a hill of beans. My body and mind are strong and I will keep on working and expecting nothing more than what I can do for myself.

[Watchdog]

Hopefully Judgement Day comes first, I'm beginning to think that's the only way that things can be straightened out. Some of our previous Presidents like Eisenhower, Nixon, Carter , Johnson and Raegan weren't as good as we thought they were tahts when all this started to formulate.

[AmeliaBedelia]

Those are scary numbers, and no, I have no hope in this government to speak the truth. No one should place their hope in any government that doesn't include God in it. We've taken Him out of it. What can we expect? Blessings? It won't happen.

[June smiles]

I believe as oldman has said.

[Nancy]

The only hope I have is in God. The people who run the country and run the world are nuts.

[Oboh]

As long as the people that voted the fools back into office, I see no hope for this nation. Why people think the way they do when they vote is beyond me.