Elder Care Demographics

With the advancements in healthcare and people living longer lives America is facing a caregiver crisis, due to the growth of the aging population. Statistics show that the number of people 65 years and older is expected to rise 101% between 2000 and 2030, yet the number of family members who can provide care for these older adults is only expected to rise 25% (Gupta, 2015). This significant change in the population raises many questions, who will care for this group, how will their safety be ensured, how will the elderly travel, where will they live, will building structures need to change to allow easier access, will the government create a caregiver corps to check on the elderly who are isolated, and ultimately how does the government

In the U.S, one in four will be aged 60 years and older by 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau). This represents an overwhelming number of people who will either be in the caretaker role or be the ROC. Like today, most of the care will be provided by informal unpaid caregivers. The number of informal unpaid caregivers is expected to rise from 20 million in 2000 to 37 million in 2050 (Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation [ASPE], 2003). Because of the burden of care giving, many caregivers will experience depression, poor health and quality of life (Etters, Goodall, & Harrison, 2008). Their well-being is an important public health concern.

The final stage is the “family in later life”. During this stage, individuals must accept the shifting of generational roles, as they become the grandparents. They must be able to let go of some power to their offspring as they find their new place in the family system. Dealing with this change while facing potential decline in health, financial security, and loss of spouse can be stressful. Grandparenthood can be a reward substitute (Carter & McGoldrick, 1988, p. 20).

P3: Explain ways in which health and social care workers support the independence and wellbeing of older people. M2: Assess ways in which health and social care workers support the independence and wellbeing of older people. D1: Evaluate ways in which the sectors work together to support the independence and wellbeing of older people. Doris has stayed connected with her friend Frieda who lives on her own independently but recently she has had a fall and she has been referred to the local authorities. P1& M2 When promoting independence and wellbeing in older people it has to be done in a way where the person feels that they are able to do what they are being asked to do and if they say that they don’t

We can’t purport to have a national goal to “eliminate health disparities” and continue to accept the social inequities that come from such a major gap in wealth. If we hope to solve the pressing issues of eldercare, these inequities must be addressed head on now and in the future. Otherwise, those who are caregivers now may not have access to the care they will need in the future.

Research show that in 2013, over 9.5% of seniors over the age of sixty-five lived in poverty with the percentage increasing as an individual’s age increases (McNeal, 2016). These statistics does not account for the other issues which affects families and caretakers when addressing the well-being of their loved ones and the inadequate access to long term care.

As individual get older they will depend on children or other family member to help take care of their healthcare needs. Caring for the elderly has turned into a national issue that can be identified with by most individuals across the nation. It estimated that one out of every five homes within the United States of America over 22.9 millions home will have someone who is takes care of an elderly relative or friend. They are over an estimated 44.4 million individuals providing care in one form or another who are over the age of 18 as or 2004 per AARP.

In the other hand, sometimes not matter how much you give of yourself, things don’t turn out the way it was planned, may be the economy is not strong yet, or it is not their time.

By 2036, nearly one in four Canadians will be a senior” (Stastics Canada, 2014, Demographics section, para. 3). There are widespread implications on the healthcare system, the economy, and society as a whole as “Canada’s median age is the oldest it’s ever been – 40.5 years old” (Paperny, 2015, para 2). “While Canadians older than age 65 account for less than 15 per cent of the population, they consume 45 per cent of provincial and territorial government health care dollars” (Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 2014, p. 16). One of the most important issues for our aging population is the lack of home care in our current society. We cannot simply create more homecare, there are “complex webs and loops of cause and effect with the inherent potential for unpredictable and far-reaching consequences” (Van Beurden, Kia, Zask, Dietrich, & Rose, 2011, p. 74). We must first determine if it is necessary, then consider funding, staffing, resource allocation, implications on individual wellbeing, and long term effectiveness among other

As the population ages, the number of potential caregivers in the total population is shrinking relative to the number of people who need care. By 2030, there will be only 4 potential caregivers for every potential care recipient. There will be fewer people in the age range when large number of people provide eldercare (from the mid 40s to the mid 60s) and more people in the age range to receive care (age 80 and up). This means that when a parent or other family member needs care, there may only be one family member who can provide it.

Describe the social, political, economic, cultural values and/or ideology that form the basis for the author’s perspectives; The value and or ideology that form the basis for the authors’ perspective is that the government makes families of elderly and the elderly individuals themselves are more dependent on government institutions rather than government aiding families to be more reliable in taking care of aging family member. Liberty of choice making verses the limiting choice making the authors state that “Government has begun to consider offering formal services on an as-needed basis rather than as an all-or-nothing package. Several members of Congress, for example, are sponsoring legislation to expand the options for in-home care available to older adults and their families (Smyer&Plantz).” And finally government

In the beginning, when I began brainstorming about this competency I felt as if it was a demand need for everyone to be aware about. I have seen individuals being decline of services for a variety of reasons, and it makes earning those services harder when they aren’t within personal reach. I witnessed this during my placement, as well as my personal life. During my placement, I realized that the elderly population still often have the chance to be denied for services, support and have their rights being acknowledged.

Taking care of a grandchild may put the grandparent’s future in jeopardy. Some grandparents have to make job related sacrifices while grandparents who were comfortably retired deplete their savings to take help support their grandchildren. Taking on a parental roll has effects on a person’s lifestyle and his or her relationship with friends and family. The extent of the effects depends upon the extent of child-care that is provided by the grandparent. Grandparents who are raising their grandchildren assume that when their children were grown, it would relinquish the role of raising children but now they are raising their grandchildren. Sometimes it makes the grandparent resentful (Driver et. al, 1997).

The life expectancy in the United States has increased significantly, just since 1900 the life expectancy was 47 years has jumped 76 years in 2000. Because of this more older adults need caregivers and their primary caregiver are their adult children. “Adult children who become the primary caregiver for an aging parent often experience significant stress, mental and physical tension due to the ensuing emotional and financial obligations imposed on them.” (Solberg, 2014)

Simply treating mental illnesses in the geriatric community is no longer sufficient. The challenge of caring for the emotional, financial, and educational needs of families and clients is important to consider because this population is expanding every minute. Nurses, including registered nurses and student nurses, lack the knowledge to care for these individuals. In fact, most nursing students do not know how to effectively communicate with someone who has dementia. This knowledge deficit negatively effects the delivery of care for older individuals by limiting their power of knowledge over their current situation.