United States: A new report shows that many older adults are unhappy with how healthcare and services are provided to them. The study, released on September 17 by Age Wave and The John A. Hartford Foundation, found that most people 65 and older believe the U.S. is not ready to meet their changing needs.
These needs include healthcare that is friendly to older people, better social services, affordable housing, transportation, and an overall better quality of life. The report highlights that older adults want the healthcare system to change and better serve them.
As reported by the Healthjournalism.org, there are tens of millions in the Boomer cohort who are in their 60s and 70s, and who are expecting to live even longer than their parents. Currently, the 65-plus population is 56 million, and by 2040, it should be about 82 million, and this population is accounted to represent about 23% of the total population of the United States.
This study report empowers the journalists more especially on how to pressure the policymakers and stakeholders on matters of enhancing care, promoting healthy ageing and affordable price of care.
Across all the waves, there was a clear consensus in their definition of healthy aging which focused on the ability to do what one wants to do, thus more of function and less free from the diseases. So, care must look at a few of the things that those people look as important – being able to have lunch with friends, not being in pain, or doing the crossword puzzle every day.
The costs of health care should remain low to out of pocket and prescription and this should also make care accessible, more providers should be equipped to deal with the health of old people, the long term should be made more accessible and less costly and at last the nursing home care should be enhanced.
However, not every clinician employs this approach while attending to older people. Some still manage to care only for the disease, not for the patient, or even do not turn to the patient and ask which values he/she holds dear? Journalists can investigate how the physicians, or other health care givers are implementing an age-friendly strategy of care, the 4Ms –medications, mind, mobility or matters.
“Policy and business leaders need to wake up to the reality that older adults are a large and increasing share of the population in the United States. Everyone knows this day has been coming, but our survey makes it clear that older adults do not like the choices or care they now receive.