Like most developed countries, the United States has also faced serious demographic problems and challenges in recent decades. Decrease in population, continued decline in fertility and growing aging are the main demographic features of USA in the early 21st century. According to the Chief Operating Officer of Americare, Faivish Pewzner, the rapid expansion is explained by the size of the baby boom generation and the baby boomers’ long life spans.
In this article, Faivish Pewzner discusses some of the general statistics about seniors and answers some key questions on the topic, such as “what percentage of today's elderly need some type of home healthcare?”
The negative consequences of such demographic trends are primarily expressed in the area of population aging, which has reached a worrying scale in our country. The aging process is first and foremost due to the low birth rate, which is below the level required for simple population recovery since the mid-20th century. Extending the life expectancy has also affected the aging process.
Population projections warn that the aging process will not only continue but will intensify as well as the aging population. According to estimates of the Institute of Aging, the total population will continue to decrease until 2030, while the number of the elderly will increase significantly.
Providing long-term care for an increasing number of the elderly, in conditions of life expectancy, not only in good health but also with disability, is certainly one of the issues that deserves special attention in this context.
Survey findings conducted among 826 people aged over 70, show that a large number of elderly people need help with going to the doctor and getting their medication, maintaining a household or paying bills (over 33%), or for preparing food or feeding (26%). Every seventh person over the age of 70 needs help to maintain personal hygiene (15%) and every tenth person needs help with moving around the household (10%). In absolute numbers, Faivish Pewzner estimates that nearly 11 million vulnerable boomers require some type of home healthcare or other assistance.