We all know that our society is aging. Estimates as far back as 2009 indicated that more than 22 percent of the U.S. population would be age 65 or older by the year 2030. Today, that estimated number is closer to 25 percent. But the fact that our older loved ones are living longer and that this population is growing thanks to the population increase that occurred right after the end of World War II, we have a potential crisis in the making if the number of senior caregivers does not increase at a proportional rate along with the elder population.
The need for senior care is just one of the societal challenges that is growing in severity. But these needs must be met if we want our older loved ones to live healthy and happy lives. The definition of happy is going to be different for different people. Some individuals value their independence and freedom, and senior care might be seen as a violation of that. Others may value their families and their friends. The aging process can infringe upon this as well.
There are other fronts where this battle to help the older members of our society live better lives. Engineers are working on creating better technologies so that seniors can get around more easily. Computer programmers are creating applications that can help seniors live on their own, yet still have a virtual safety net in place in case they are injured or fall ill. Community planners are ensuring that there are more senior-friendly activities taking place, and that transportation is provided for those that want to use these services. Our society is making changes to help our older loved ones, but that doesn’t mean that these problems are completely solved. As needs increase, new challenges will likely present themselves, too. We’re making progress, but there’s still a lot that needs to be done.
One of our goals at Paradise In-Home Care is to help bridge that gap so that more seniors can live the life that they want, even as they age. In-home care is a valuable service for those that need assistance because it allows them to stay in their own homes and continue doing the things that they love there. Yes, there will be limitations, but our hope is that by providing this service, these limitations can be minimized.
Even though the senior population is living longer and healthier lives today on a general basis than they were in the past, this is only a generality. In individual situations, this might not be the case. While it’s valuable to look at general trends when creating public policies and preparing for services, the true worth of in-home care is brought about by the fact that individualized, personal, and one on one attention can be given to someone in need. It’s not something that will benefit everyone, but for those that it does, it is a way to help them maintain their independence but still receive the help and attention that they need to thrive.
Leave a Reply