How to Find Affordable and Effective Long-Term Elderly Care
At least 70% of people over the age of 65 will need long-term care services and support at some point in their lifetimes. However, many senior living options seem to place undesirable restrictions on the lives of their residents: they require people to renounce a great deal of their independence, they require their patients to move from location to location as their conditions change, and they are often under-staffed. For this reason, the supply of nursing homes declined nationally between 2001 and 2008. However, roughly one million Americans currently live a senior living community, a number that is expected to increase over the next 20 years as more people get older and begin moving to a more attractive alternative to traditional senior living facilities: assisted living facilities.
Assisted living homes allow people in need of medical services or additional help to reside in a senior living community that provides for their need without compromising their independence or lifestyle. Currently, more than half of all residents at assisted living centers are age 85 or older, and nearly 40% require assistance with three or more activities of daily living. Bathing and dressing are among the most common services offered. However, the average assisted living facility also assists residents with a number of common chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, heart disease, depression, arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. They are often one of the most cost-effective choices when searching for long-term care options, while still allowing the resident to live an independent lifestyle while possible.
Over the next two decades, an estimated 77 million Baby Boomers will reach retirement age and leave the workforce. Accordingly, the number of people in the United States who need long-term care is expected to increase to 27 million in 2050. However, due to the increasing popularity of the assisted senior living community, these people can retain their independence and lifestyles while still getting the care they need and deserve.
