INDIVIDUAL, PRIVATE OR FAMILY HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES

We now find ourselves living at a time where we we will face complex health care issues regarding the care of ourselves, loved ones, relatives or employees with chronic or terminal  medical conditions.

External factors that will continue to impact on our decisions regarding chronic or terminal medical care include:

• a large concentration of our population (baby-boomers) aging at the same time and placing a creating an increased demand for health care services
• general economic conditions that have resulted in the depletion of the private savings of millions of citizens leaving them without sufficient funds to be able to independently finance their retirements and private health care needs
• general economic conditions that have caused escalating increases in unemployment meaning more and more individuals finding themselves without access to employee (group) health care plans
• advances in medical technology that now keep people alive longer but in chronic medical states that require complex continuing care
• continuing cut-backs in government funding to health care programs and services by all levels of government
• rising medical malpractice and hospital insurance premiums
• ever increasing costs for building and maintenance services of health care facilities
• escalating rates of particular illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer's, mental illness due to lifestyle, aging and environmental factors
• pandemic outbreaks, i.e., swine flu

Many of us  have experienced the growing demands and limitations being put to our existing  health care services and systems and quality of care with phenomena such as:

• long waiting periods in Emergency Admission Units of hospitals
• long waiting periods waiting to place the elderly in long term care facilities
• long waiting periods when scheduling operations or use of certain medical devices
• difficulty finding a family doctor or specialist
• the removal of physiotherapy as a paid medical expense under provincial medicare
• the limitation of eye exams as a paid medical expense under provincial medicare
• increased costs for medical services falling outside provincial medicare programs (i.e., reports, letters, affidavits, non essential medical services)
• growing costs of prescribed medications
• dental services not covered under private medical plans

Typical issues and conflicts faced by families and employers when dealing with chronic health care issues can include:

• whether a family member or executive is competent to make decisions
• whether a power of attorney for care or finances is needed
• whether a living will is needed
• whether a will and funeral arrangements need to be arranged and there are sufficient funds to pay for this
• crisis managing the care of someone resisting help or advise
• managing disputes or confusion as to the appropriate care and accommodation plans to put in place
• managing abusive or co-dependent relationships
• managing incompetent, violent or anti-social employees
• investigating and containing real or suspected undue influence or coercion of a vulnerable individual or family member by another individual or organization
• cross-cultural, sexual orientation conflicts
• end of life decisions with the terminally ill
• estate or business continuity conflicts
• family disputes
• spousal disputes
• employer-employee disputes

For further information please send me an e-mail or memorandum at:

mrubenstca@yahoo.com.

I respond to all in-coming e-mails within 3 working hours.