Aging Population

Another way to reduce disparities in health care is to provide education and training to physicians and patients alike in order to provide adequate care and self- management practices (Clarke et al.,

The baby-boomer generation is aging and adding more beneficiaries’ at an increasing rate than ever before and is estimated to impact the federal deficit by over 17% by 2020. Many other countries have National Healthcare that provides better care at a much lower cost. Medicare was the motivation for a universal healthcare plan and a program for the U.S. could have a positive impact. (Starr, 2011).

Life expectancy has increased over the last century. With this greater survival rate, there needs to be an increase in the rate of spending for Medicare. Despite what one does to improve their health behavior, the need for medical care cultivates as one ages. This need will continue to increase significantly as medicine continues to modernize.

Although the United States is a leader in healthcare innovation and spends more money on health care than any other industrialized nation, not all people in the United State benefit equally from this progress as a health care disparity exists between racial and ethnic minorities and white Americans. Health care disparity is defined as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social or economic disadvantage…adversely affecting groups of people who have systematically experienced greater social and/or economic obstacles to health and/or clean environment based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion” (National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities [NPAEHD], 2011, p. 3). Overwhelming evidence shows that racial and ethnic minorities receive inferior quality health care compared to white Americans, and multiple factors contribute to these disparities, including geography, lack of access to adequate health coverage, communication difficulties between patients and providers, cultural barriers, and lack of access to providers (American College of Physicians,

Baby boomer aging is one of the large causative factors of this increase in demand (Glicken & Miller, 2013, p.1883-1889). According to Glicken & Miller (2013), the elderly population will nearly double in the next fifteen years putting a strain on the healthcare workforce. Also, more than half of physicians have intentions on limiting care access with regards to Medicare patients. Many medical doctors are refusing to care for Medicaid patients. This is a result of the growing number of individuals now with the means to afford healthcare due to the

As this baby-boomer generation continues to age there will be profound effects on the way that money is spent on health care and insurance. With approximately 77 million people turning 65 over the next several years, the amount of government spending on Medicare will greatly increase (Gigante, 2012). Thus, the demand for medical care associated with the aging population will so

This document will discuss how demographics disease trends affect the delivery of health care. Starting with current age composition of the United States population and how future changes will occur in the next 10 to 20 years. Next will be identifiable factors that support environmental and changing demographic trends. Providing examples of relevant diseases and how the aging trend will increase or decrease health issues and how to reduce health complications because of age. The current rate of obesity will be discussed and how it will change in the next 10 to 20

One dominant economic feature of the healthcare industry is the growing need for both basic and specialized healthcare due to the continued aging of the “Baby Boomer” generation. This generation consists of over 79,000,000 individuals born in the US between 1946 and 1964. As this generation has aged, the need for healthcare has increased dramatically. Let us take a look at some statistics:

The demographic characteristics of the senior population has been changing over time. The rise in diversity and the geographic placement of seniors can provide an opportunity to examine their use of the social program SNAP. Characteristics of food insecurity such a geography and race correlate with higher rates of food insecurity and as these same characteristics continue to grow in the senior population. Since seniors have the lowest rates of SNAP participation versus other age groups, and their rates of food insecurity continue to grow it is important to examine what characteristics impact the likelihood of SNAP take up among this population.

It is widely believed that the aging of the U.S. population is a major driver of the annual growth in the demand for health care and in national health spending

The age of population is one of the challenges the United States faces. The shift of demographics may have an effect on the needs and services of this particular population. In this paper it will be discussed how the demographics may have an impact on the health care market, how changes will affect health care such as increase in health care cost and increase in prescription drug cost.

Every individual in the world deserves to enjoy health and wellness. Maintaining or achieving proper health needs enables individuals to be productive at work and leisure. Traditionally, many people have had barriers obtaining adequate healthcare due to economic constraints or personal inconveniences. Despite impressive technological advances in medicine, the challenge of delivering quality healthcare to the Americans continues to be debated amongst the nation’s political and healthcare leaders. The aging baby-boomers and the increased number of uninsured people add to the equation of population growth which results in limited access to primary healthcare for the entire public. On the

Projections that the United States will undergo an unavoidable demographical change by 2043 in which the minority population will be seen as the majority (Colby, & Ortman, 2014), has been consistent. The United States Census Bureau (U.S.) (2014) projects that as the largest ethnic minority, Hispanics, will grow exponentially to 128.8 million by 2060 from 53.3 million calculated in 2012 and having profound repercussions in the nation’s healthcare costs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (“National health expenditure,” 2014) reports a trajectory that health spending will continue to expand at an average rate of 5.7 percent between 2013-2023 and result in

Yet of perhaps greatest importance to the American healthcare system and industry is the demographical information of this older population in terms of its particular characteristics and disposition. More specifically, healthcare professionals and policy analysts must understand the aging populations’ economic and living situations, and their overall health status (Jacobsen, Kent, Lee & Mather, 2011). Economic factors are key as they directly pertain to the likelihood of reliance on publically-funded healthcare programs, while “the marital status and living arrangements of the elderly are closely tied to levels of social support, economic well-being, and the availability of caregivers” (Jacobsen et al., 2011, p. 4). The importance of this population’s general health status is, of course, self-explanatory.

“Demographics of the US population have changed dramatically in the last three decades. These changes directly impact the healthcare industry in regard to the patients we serve and our workforce” (Borkowski, 2012). In fact, Voutsas (2011) argues that the U.S workforce is the most demographically heterogeneous workforce in the world and he believes that this is due to major changes and diversity .Borkowski (2012) also states that the significant changes in the US populations has been seen greatly in regards to gender, age ,and race and ethnicity .