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Healthcare System Must Change to Accommodate Aging Baby Boomers Both the government and the health care industry need to gear up for the aging of America's vast baby boomer population, which will present many tough challenges for government and health care industry alike. Much fuss has been made lately about the pressures baby boomers will place on national finances as they age. Over 76 million strong, the boomers already account for an increasingly large proportion of doctor's visits and treatment for such age-related illnesses as diabetes and arthritis. As they begin swelling the ranks of senior citizens, a major re-thinking and even overhauling of the current health care system may be in order.In many states, measures are being taken to organize and plan for a difficult and changing road ahead. Many boomers, including the eldest wave, have no catastrophic health insurance. On the whole, they have saved less diligently than did their parents – making chronic illness a worrying prospect. In particular, women face problems: more often widowed, they are two to three times more likely to face financial difficulties than men, and overall they have poorer access to healthcare. Because the baby boomer generation outnumbers most others, there may be a dearth of caregivers in coming years.This situation calls for innovative ideas which may be tested in the form of flexible Medicare pilot programs. Creative thinking and listening to the real concerns of aging patients and caregivers will help the baby boomers live up to the potential of their senior years. Despite widespread fear that masses of aging boomers will be a drain on public finances, many predict this generation of elderly will redefine old agein terms of productivity. Their notable independence suggests they will be eager to self-direct their care, meaning long-term health insurance might be more commonly purchased in the coming years. If so, the burden on government-sponsored services will be lessened; however, hopes are tempered by the fact that the proportion of the population able to afford health insurance premiums is actually shrinking. One of the most important issues to be considered is the simple matter of staffing. Already 41 states report that nursing homes cannot recruit or retain the necessary staff to operate properly. In twenty years the number of people aged 65 and over will have exploded, but the number of workers is not likely to have grown by more than 15%. As federal, state and even local governments grapple with the enormous difficulties facing tomorrow's senior population and those who will care for them, budgeting must be calculated with a view to preserving the human touch that is so important to any type of medical care, but particularly long-term. Back To Mature Market News → Go To The GenerationTarget.com Mature Market Bookstore → |
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