While we’re on the subject of mental health, we need to focus on the topic of caregiving. Why don’t people want to work anymore? It turns out that 48 million Americans provide care to an adult or child with special needs. Out of those, 41.8 million provide unpaid care.
Caregiving can take a toll on even the strongest people. They can quit activities that they like, isolate themselves from families, and it can push a person towards their breaking point. They can develop physical or mental health issues of their own.
Now that the Supreme Court tells us that life begins at conception, it is only fair that we also focus on life after birth as well. Unfortunately, our society is failing our caregivers. Many employers won’t offer paid family leave or allow employees to work remotely. And then they wonder why nobody will work for them.
In 2020, Colorado passed Proposition 118, which will mandate paid family and medical leave effective January 1st, 2023. Missouri should consider a similar measure. Other steps that should be considered include raising income and asset limits for Medicaid. California is eliminating most Medicare asset limits, a process which started this year.
On top of that, we need to reward such work as motherhood and caregiving, which has long been unpaid and which has long been a backbone of our society. We need a $1,000 a month universal basic income so that we can finally begin to reward the people who have decided to dedicate their lives to their children and other loved ones.
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