Baby Boomers Coming Need For Elder Care

By Author: Sue Oja
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The "baby boomers," the result of a massive upswing in births post World War II, have frequently been labeled as generation of change. From the youth-centered cultural revolution of the 1960s to the dawning of the yuppie age in the 1980s, baby boomers have long been at the forefront of change in American society. With the baby boomers now approaching old age, they are still making their mark on the cultural landscape-this time in terms of how elder care will be administered in the coming decade. Within several years, over 10,000 baby boomers will be turning 65 on a daily basis. With an unprecedented percentage of the population facing retirement age and beyond, the need for quality elder care has never been more pressing.

What is Elder Care?

While this is a broad term, it encapsulates a range of services and programs designed to meet special needs that are unique to senior citizens. This can include such areas as nursing homes, in-home health care, assisted living, adult day care, and more.

In general, elder care is divided into two basic categories: medical care and non-medical care. Medical care, known ...
... as "skilled care," includes any daily rehabilitative or nursing-related care that must be performed or supervised by skilled medical personnel. This kind of elder care is usually ordered by a physician and is required around the clock. Skilled care is often administered in nursing homes but it can also be received other places as well.

The subcategory of "skilled nursing care" refers to any kind of skilled care that can only be administered or supervised by a registered nurse. This can include things like intravenous injections and tube feedings, or any other skilled care that could not safely be performed without a registered nurse.

At the other end of the spectrum, non-medical care is also referred to as "social care."
Social care revolves meeting the non-medical needs of senior citizens. This can include community-based efforts, such as a senior center for social activities like meals, trips and entertainment. It can also include things like adult day care. Social care can play a large role in assisting adults who have become functionally or cognitively impaired as a result of Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. Services might include things like art or music therapy, as well as other rehabilitative activities.

Baby Boomers and Elder Care

The fear of being shipped off to live out the rest of their days in a nursing home is very real to many senior citizens. With such a large segment of the population rapidly approaching old age, those fears need to be laid to rest. Even senior citizens in relatively good health might start to encounter difficulty living in their own homes due to such things as too many stairs or simply too much required home maintenance. Although in the past this might mean a move to a planned retirement community, for too many seniors this is the first stop on the road to a dreaded nursing home. However, the baby boomers don't seem too keen on accepting this paradigm.

A 2008 survey of baby boomers conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons, 80 percent of those surveyed expressed a strong desire to continue living at their current residence for "as long as possible," as opposed to eventually moving to a nursing home or similar facility as their need for medical care grows. In fact, in that same survey the majority of baby boomers ranked moving into a nursing home as a bigger fear than death.

In addition, 88 percent of the baby boomers surveyed believe it will be possible for them to stay in their current residence as they age. As the baby boomers become more vigilant about securing elder care that meets their specific needs, it is starting to look like many of them won't have to worry about winding up in a nursing home.

Home Health Care

Thanks to both the growing popularity of home health care for the elderly, as well as new advances in home health care technology, the baby boomers are equipping themselves to maintain their current residence and lifestyle as they age. This has led to a renewed focus on elder care that helps baby boomers by enabling independence yet offers assistance when needed.

Home health care is a branch of elder care aimed at helping seniors live independent lives for as long as possible, relative to their personal medical condition. It can include a wide array of services designed to postpone any need for long-term medical care, such as a stay in a nursing home. This entails things like physical and occupational therapy but can also extend to basic assistance with daily activities such as cooking and cleaning. In some cases, it may involve assistance with bathing and dressing, or simply monitoring and regulating intake of prescription and over-the-counter medication.

Home health care providers can also assist with the installation of home health care technology in the home. This can include anything from balance grip bars in the bathroom to automated chair lifts and anything in between. In the past, home health care technology was often only installed after an inciting incident such as a fall that caused the hospitalization of a senior. However, more baby boomers are becoming proactive and installing home health care technology as a preventative measure, thus preventing unnecessary hospitalizations and improving their quality of life.

It can take a lot of preparation to successfully meet the challenges of old age. Thanks to the benefits of home health care, as well as the determination of the baby boomers, this generation might be able to reach an enviable goal-growing old in comfort.
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Home and Hearth Caregivers is a division of Parker Cromwell HealthCare which provides elderly care Chicago and non-medical live in caregivers for Hinsdale home care. Visit online for further information.