The elderly aged 65 and older are the leading users of healthcare services nationwide. As the older Americans is an asset to the country, the increasingly aging population is a challenge. In 2050, the number of Americans aged 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million, more than double its projected population of 40.2 million in 2010 (Vincent, and Velcoff). It is important to recognize the growth of the aging population, with the increasing health care costs and health care services that are in great demand, the health care system is changing and it is a challenge in delivering health care to the elderly. Providing and financing health care services have factors to help improve care of the older Americans is to advocate and educate healthy living in health service community-based programs, improve and integrate long-term care such as home care and assisted living communities, improving medication, and using information technology in hospitals and clinics and.
About 70 percent of people over age 65 need some type of long-term care during their lifetime. More than 40 percent ne...
According to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, there will be a need for assistance with activities of daily living (ADL's) increases dramatically with age. Only 2.6 percent of person’s age 65-74 need assistance with personal care compared with 31.6
The two major components of Medicare, the Hospital Insurance Program (Part A of Medicare) and the supplementary Medical Insurance program (Part B) may be exhausted by the year 2025, another sad fact of the Medicare situation at hand (“Medicare’s Future”). The burden brought about by the unfair dealings of HMO’s is having an adverse affect on the Medicare system. With the incredibly large burden brought about by the large amount of patients that Medicare is handed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to fund the system in the way that is necessary for it to function effectively. Most elderly people over the age of 65 are eligible for Medicare, but for a quite disturbing reason they are not able to reap the benefits of the taxes they have paid. Medicare is a national health plan covering 40 mi...
Nelda McCall (2001). Long Term Care: Definition, Demand, Cost, and Financing. Chicago: Health Administration Press, pg. 19.
To deal with the issue of an aging population, an awareness campaign about the health issues that commonly affect aged people should be run by the government and non-governmental agencies. In addition, awareness should be created among the young to accommodate the elderly; at home as well as at work places...
The long-term care system consists of an integrated continuum of many institutional and non-institutional providers who deliver extended care when needed. Long-term care providers deliver a variety of care to individuals with chronic, mobility and/or cognitive impairments/limitations. These providers include: nursing facilities, sub acute care, assisted living, residential care, elderly housing options and community based adult services (Pratt, 2010). A great majority of these providers are already taking care of the many baby boomers that are present today and will be present in the future. “Baby boomers” are individuals who were born between the years 1946-1964. Since 2011, every day 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 years old (Pratt, 2010). This
African American senior citizens face a health care crisis too. They have worked all of their lives to secure retirement, but their retirement has been threatened because of the rising cost of long-term medical care. Insurance companies have failed to provide affordable long-term care, protection that most senior citizens need. This lack of long term care and affordability has been a serious problem for the health care system. In some cities, the shortage of hospital beds is so serious that it is common for patients to stay in emergency rooms before they can be admitted to an inpatient room (Drake 109). More than one thousand hospital beds are occupied by people who could be better care for in nursing homes or through home health care (Drake 110). Of the disabled elderly 1.3 million reside in nursing homes (Drake 10). These patients are unable to perform two or more of the basic activities of daily living without assistance.
The elderly population has been steadily rising as the generation known as the “Baby Boomers” matures. In 2010 the United States census reported the proportion of people age 65 and older to be approximately 40.3 million, or thirteen percent (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). This trend is predicted to continue and by 2050 it is estimated that over twenty percent of the United States population will be over the age of 65. In addition, the fastest growing segment of this population will consist of those over the age of 85, or approximately 19 million people (U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).
The health care industry is positioned for the global market place. It is expected to grow exponentially in health-related services for the elderly. China’s population of individuals over sixty years old is expected to grow to one third in the next twenty-five years. Though their culture view aging somewhat differently than in United States, they are interested in the attractive senior living options established here. Senior care encompasses private care facilities, home health care, products, drugs and medical equipment. As the largest health care market in the world American companies have made significant global inroads over the last two decades. These businesses are positioned to offer additional services directed at retirees, and children who will be responsible for their parents and potentially their grandparents as well.
By the year 2020, there is expected to be over 54 million senior citizens age 65 years or older. Despite medical technology and advanced medications, seniors older than age 65 have four times the number of hospitalizations days as compared to younger age groups (Curtain, 2007). Health care demands are increasing due to the aging United States population, and the present-day Medicare system is not capable of funding this. Health insurance emphasis is now on efficiency, profits, customer satisfaction, ability to pay, and competition (Curtin, 2007). Social and political aspects are major influencers of our health care. The shift of focus from patient care to a business model has caused hospitals to maintain a tight budget, often affecting nursing staff ratios. Lean staffing ratios is associated with an increase in malpractice suits due to adverse events (Curtin, 2007).
After spending an afternoon interviewing my elderly father-in-law, I gained insight into how he perceives the aging process and the impact on the quality of his life. First, and foremost he viewed aging in a very positive and healthy manner. He believes that a positive attitude assists in accepting physical and psychosocial changes and enjoyed the fact that he and his wife are both physically fit and cognitively alert. He felt confident that advances made in health care and the quality of their lives would continue to be empowering. He enjoys the benefits of being a senior citizen including discounted travel, free education, and other incentives marketed towards seniors. He expressed a sense of well-being with respect to the numerous housing options geared towards the graying population, such as Retirement Villages, and assisted living. However, the subjects of Long Term Care, Social security reform and government involvement in health care reform were subjects he regarded with very strong negative emotions. During the interview these issues as related to his experiences with health care were discussed with zeal and frustration.
Long-term health care consists of personal medical, and social services rendered to elders with chronic indispositions. These types of services are carried out through several different means, such as nursing homes, home health care, and respite care. The focus on long-term care is to provide an environment assisting with treatments plans, personal up keep and rehabilitation. As the largest part of our growing population reaches retirement age, several new questions and issues have arose. Financially, long term health has is an ever growing concern of the elder population and those who have accepted the financial burden. A large portion of the economy struggles with the cost of the ever rising prices of health care. The economy has been hindered with financial difficulty and it has had several implications on the ways we spend our money. For some of the baby boomers, it has left them with no choice but to continue to work in order to provide. For others, it has left them no option but to live with family members or seek assistants elsewhere. Income has evolved into a stressor for elders planning retirement.
As more and more Americans are living well into their 70’s, the children of these ageing parents are left with the responsibility of taking care of them. "By 2030 approximately 80 million Americans, or 20 percent of the population, are projected to be sixty-five or older, and 2.3 percent of the population will be eighty-five and older" (Bookman & Kimbrel, 2011 pp. 118). Several variables will determine what service and type of care the elderly can reasonably expect. These include health services such as Medicare, Medicaid, social security, government's involvement in regulating health care, and society in general.
As the population of the United States ages and lifespan increases, the U.S. is being faced with challenges that could either hurt the country or benefit it if plans are executed correctly. By the year 2050, more than thirty-two million Americans will be over the age eighty and the share of the 80-plus generation will have doubled to 7.4 percent. Health care and aging population has become a great deal considering the impact it is having on the U.S. The United States is heading into another century with an outstanding percentage of people within the aging population. Today’s challenges involving health care and the aging populations are the employees of health professions being a major percentage of the aging population, the drive into debt, and prevention and postponement of disease and disability.
Today, world’s population is aging at a very fast pace and United States is no exception to this demographic change. According to the U.S Census Bureau, senior citizens will be accounted for 21% of the American population in 2050 (Older Americans, 2012). Although living longer lives may not seem like a negative sign, living longer does not necessarily mean living healthier. Older adults of today are in need of long-term and health care services more than any generation before them (Older Americans, 2012). Because of the growing need for senior care, millions of families are facing critical decisions on how to provide care for their parents. In addition, declining birthrates may cause people to have less familial care and support as they age. To be able to provide the necessary care for senior citizens government funded long term care insurance program is needed.
Caring for the elderly is an activity that requires patience, willingness, due diligence and effective co-ordination of resources in order to optimally benefit the recipients. Community services and programs is one such avenue that caters for the elderly by providing for their mental, physical, social and emotional well-being, and by extension promotes a greater quality of life. Community services help meet the needs of the elderly and attract older people who face barriers to active living. One strong advocate of community based services and a program for the elderly is the American Association of Retired People (AARP) who relentlessly seeks to promote a healthy lifestyle for people 50 years and over.