I read an article this week about the reason why Walmart made the decision to close its Walmart Health clinics, which offered primary and urgent care, labs, X-rays, behavioral health and dental work.
Labor.
“We determined there is not a sustainable business model for us to continue,” the company said.
Consider these insights featured in press coverage of the closings, which were announced in April:
These insights could apply to the struggles we face as we care for our family members. Access to the help and care we need for our carees becomes scarcer which means we must do more. The cost of home care rose 14% in one year. Nursing homes close abruptly while also becoming unaffordable at $7,908 per month. Family members disappear and take their helping hands with them; friends can’t understand so stop trying. Our caree’s insurance is a complex reimbursement model we regularly work to untangle so we don’t mistakenly pay what should be covered. As you know, we don’t have a true reimbursement model for family caregivers.
More and more, we’re on our own.
But, we can’t close our own personal caregiving clinic. We must keep it open, 24/7, even as we don’t have enough labor, pay and support. We must stay open on the holidays, weekends and over night.
It’s one of the reasons we labor so much during our caregiving experience.
I wonder: How will we stay open? What will sustain us?
(Image by robert hoppaus from Pixabay.)
Resources
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Good questions. I hear you, Denise! Many long-term caregivers in the UK, already face a lack of available resources/hands-on support regardless of whether they can pay for it or not, it's simply not there. It's easier near London but elsewhere a big issue.
I advocate connecting with friends and neighbours and establishing some community support. Caregiving cannot be an individual burden behind closed doors anymore. We need to help each other.
As Summer is here and many people go on holiday, many caregivers are trying to meet the needs of their loved ones (who are either getting overheated with the weather or feeling cabin-fever), sustain their mental well-being when others are 'living it up' and protect against the rising cases of covid as superspreader events or large gatherings increase.
“Family members disappear and take their helping hands with them; friends can’t understand so stop trying.” This. We are the very definition of “essential workers”