The senior care crisis is something that experts believe will start to set in within the next decade. As you might know, this is the idea that if the senior population keeps growing at the rate that it is, and new senior caregivers are not added to the job market at a faster rate than what is currently happening, there will not be enough caregivers in the market to supply the care that will be needed. Your own personal set of senior care solutions can help reduce this burden on your family, but there is also a need for larger scale solutions to potential issues, too.
Looking to countries that have already begun to solve their senior care problems can help us to get a better idea of what types of solutions work, and which do not. For example, in China, the population of those aged 60 and above currently stands at 15.5 percent of the whole country. By 2020–just three years from now–it is anticipated that 17.5 percent of the population will be 60 or older. This growth has already put a strain on the nursing home system within China. Starting out in Beijing, an initiative has been launched to change the focus from nursing homes to in-home care.
They have also created many care homes called “post-houses.” These are similar to assisted living facilities, but they are for short term care. Seniors can go to these locations for a few hours during the day and be provided with supervision, food, and activities, or they can stay for periods of time of up to 15 days. There is even medical care within easy reach if it is needed. And unlike a nursing home setting, even those that receive mainly in-home care or are under the supervision of a family caregiver can use a post-house.
So far, this shift of focus has been successful. There are currently 79 of these homes in operation in China. By the end of 2020, the country plans on having 1,000 of them. The goal is to move beyond Beijing so that more of the Chinese population can reap the benefits of this mixture of assisted living care and adult day care. The popularity and efficacy of the homes is only growing. While these have been very successful in urban areas, it’s still unclear how well they can transfer to suburban regions. It is still an idea in development.
However, you may have picked up on the fact that care is spread out with many individuals under the care of a few caregivers. In-home care is able to provide this one to one care, and it is something that can never really be replicated. Yes, this does help provide a potential solution to the care problems that the U.S. may be facing in the future, but the closeness and the companionship that in-home care gives is not provided here. When thinking of care options for a loved one in the future, keep this in mind.
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