It is interesting to note the fact that because healthcare around the world is improving, fewer people are dying of diseases. For obvious reasons, this is a good thing. People are living longer, healthier, and happier lives like they have never done before in history. It has created a new world of possibilities for people, and has forced industries (like the senior care sector) to expand in order to meet this growing need. It has improved the quality of life for the elderly, and it has improved the quality of life for younger people at the same time. There’s no question that a better overall healthcare outlook is a great and beneficial thing.
The downside to improving health is that while fewer people are dying of major diseases, the need for a more intense focus on lesser, nonfatal illnesses is growing. In the elderly population, this has become even more magnified. Seniors have a special and unique set of needs. Age increases the risk of illness because of weakened immune systems. Bones become weaker and muscles atrophy. These happen in various degrees to everyone, and it sets the elderly up for being at a higher risk than other populations.
One major issue that is contributing to the rise of severity in nonfatal illnesses is the fact that many senior citizens are not getting the constant support that they need. Many of these issues could have been completely avoided with early detection or active preventative measures. For example, injuries have been highlighted as a major source of concern. A lot of the injuries that affect the elderly are fall related, and with simple things like increased supervision and “fall proofing” within their homes, these could have been prevented. This is where services like assisted living and in-home care can be so helpful in further improving the quality of life for people at risk. No one wants to need help, but sometimes it is far better than spending the rest of their life in a hospital because the proper precautions were not taken beforehand.
There is also a concern about diabetes and hearing loss being on the rise. These are typically manageable through care, but they can be costly. Insulin and blood sugar monitoring technology can be costly over time, as can hearing aids. Many seniors are not positioning themselves financially to be able to afford these things on their own in their latter years, and the cost either trickles down to their families or to public health insurances, like Medicaid. Again, some of these things could have been prevented, but steps would have had to begun years ago in order to do so. For the younger generations, this should be heeded as a call to action. By taking care of ourselves when we are younger, many of the issues that our grandparents and parents are now facing do not need to become family traditions. Instead, with this knowledge, we can act now to have longer and healthier lives later on. Senior care will always be a necessity in our society, but we can begin to ensure that the type we will need later in life will be much less burdensome than it has been in the past.
Leave a Reply