With the exploding population of senior citizens occurring at this time, we are seeing a commensurate explosion in health problems with are causing a taxing burden on the health care system. Health conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, kidney failure and others are expensive to treat, and oftentimes they are fatal. However, diet is a major contributor to many of these problems. The Veggies (and Fruits!) for Seniors Health Promotion Project is designed to bring to the attention of seniors the need to consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. This summary will quantify the problem, provide an outline of the Veggies (and Fruits!) for Seniors program, along with cooperating partners, and propose objectives that should be accomplished once this project is executed. The senior population continues to grow much faster than it has in any generation in the history of the United States. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census (2008), the anticipated growth of the population 60 and over in the U.S. is expected to grow from just under 55 million in the 2010 census to 72 million in the 2020 census. This represents a 13% increase in the aging population in just a 10-year period. To add to this, we are currently experiencing what the National Institute on Aging (2015) characterizes as a dramatic increase in life expectancy. This means that there are more seniors than ever – and more older seniors than
In this video, we learn that the aging baby-boomer population is over 5 million people age 80 years and older living in the United States. By the year 2050, there will be an estimated 19.5 million seniors in the United States. We also learn that a nursing home’s average cost is $219 per day. Today’s life expectancy is 78 years compared to the year 1900 when the life expectancy was just 45 years. I believe life expectancy increased today compared to a hundred years ago because of scientist being able to improve medicines and find cures for diseases, and the fact that medical technology has
Data from the Census Bureau tell us that in 2015, there are around 47.8 million Americans age 65 and older, up from about 25.5 million just 35 years ago; demographers predict that in another 35 years, there will be nearly 88 million Americans in this age group. The rate of growth of the “oldest old” population—those age 85 and older—is even more dramatic: Their numbers currently stand at approximately 6.3 million, but by 2050, that number will have almost tripled, to 18.7 million Americans. This population explosion is unprecedented in history, and the resulting demographic shift is causing profound social and economic changes.
Aging Americans, like other age groups, are feeling the effects of the declining real estate and stock markets, as well as soaring fuel and food prices. Seniors’ economic security will only increase in importance as the U.S. population ages. The nation’s health and social services resources will face unprecedented demand as 75 million people in the baby boomer generation reach retirement age—some with eroded savings and retirement accounts. Aging people of color are more likely than white
According to the Administration on Aging, people age 65 and older currently represent 12.9% of the population of the United States as of 2009, with that number expected to double in the next 15 years (Administration on Aging, 2014). Along with the continued rise in the population of older adults comes an increased need for services specifically addressing the needs of this population. Despite the increasing needs for services for older adults, seniors are among the most overlooked and underserved populations in the United States.
It is widely believed that the aging of the U.S. population is a major driver of the annual growth in the demand for health care and in national health spending
In 2011, the first of the Baby Boomers – the 78 million men and women born between 1946 and 1964 – will begin turning 65 at a rate of more than 8,000 per day. By year's end, the nation's senior population will have increased by almost 3 million, to nearly 49 million. By 2025, then, the total will reach 72 million – more than double the 35 million at the turn of the new century. (Home Instead Senior Care, 2010). Millions of Americans with chronic diseases and disabilities, like Alzheimer's, heart failure, kidney disease, and diabetes, need careful monitoring but do not want enter a nursing home or skilled care facility. I can recall my grandfather would only agree to go to the doctor's office if he was certain he could return
Just like other parts of the world, the United States is no exceptional, it is an aging society. Between the year 2000 and the year 2050, the number of the elderly is predicted to increase by 135%. Again, the population of the persons aged 85 years and above, which is the group that will mostly require health and long-term services, is predicted to
Aging is a universal phenomenon and humans are no exception. Gerontology deals with the psychological, social and biological aspects of aging process. A recent study shows that people aged 85 years and older are expected to augment from 5.3 million people to 21 million as the world reach 2050. In today’s world Gerontology has an enormous role to play so that the senior citizens could be analyzed and their needs may be addressed with compassion and empathy.
The challenge America now faces is the number of people reaching retirement will double in number by 2030, and the U.S. population will increase almost 20 percent ("Our Aging Nation," 2015). The goal is for the elderly to maintain and live with independence and dignity, as well as, provide a wide range of professional health and social service expertise, home care, and residential support and services that will be needed ("Our Aging Nation," 2015). Since the number of caregivers needed for this population will not be able to meet the demands other resolutions are considered necessary.
In our society today, the older population is a diverse and growing group with more and more individuals reaching the life stage of late adulthood, and even very late adulthood. According to Hutchison (2015), the late adulthood stage begins at 65 years of age and continues through 85 years of age and the very late adulthood stage begins at 85 and carries through until death. During the aging process, many changes occur within the body and mind as well as family structure and social roles. Individuals who have reached these life stages today may have lived through the Great Depression, the World Wars, the Civil Rights Movement, and many other important historic events, all of which have shaped their life experiences. For
Within the article, New Healthcare Models Arise with Elderly Patients in Mind, the author discusses the various aspects of senior health care that need to be addressed and altered before our population is mainly composed of older adults. Individuals are living longer, causing them to acquire different illnesses that need to be treated. However, there are not enough doctors that specialize in geriatrics to cater to these individuals. Medicare’s fee-for-service system allows doctors that specialize in geriatrics to get paid less than other types of doctors, discouraging individuals to choose this profession. Our medical system is not prepared for the large demand of senior care that will be needed in the years to come. Our overall health care
Experience working in the field of health care lends insight to the growing needs of the older adult population, and the barriers which impede our capacity to meet them. As the Baby Boomer age is approaching older adulthood, the rise for financial,
How we view aging has changed over the last few decades. Gone are the images of feeble individuals sitting in nursing home day rooms and in are the images of the hip old couples doing new age dances. A variety of personal and social concerns involving the elderly have evolved in recent years, and although the aging population is living longer more active lives, there are still a few important concerns. In a world that is changing everyday, keeping up is important if you don’t want to get left behind. In order to understand the sociological aspects of aging, we must answer a few questions: What types of care are available to the aging population? What is the Quality of life as we age? What is active aging and how does it affect us? How do with keep up societal changes as we age? In answering these questions, hopefully, a brighter side of aging can be seen.As people age, many changes can be witnessed occurring in the body. The fight to live while maintaining health and wellness gets harder. Humans are a complex class of organisms; all have different genetic makeups and come from a variety of backgrounds. Each individual is different, having been exposed to different environments and experiences. With this understanding, you can see why aging bodies and require increased, as well as, individualized care. This individual care is becoming increasingly more expensive and worry is mounting among legislators as to how it can be provided, maintained, and paid for in the future
Growth and development is an essential part of the life cycle, which leads to the occurrence of different phases like childhood, teenage and late adulthood. Aging is the period which is characterized by the onset of personal, cognitive and social changes. They feel hard to adjust the changes. Like rest of the world, the US also falls in the list of countries which have the highest population of elderly people. According to the Population Reference Bureau report, Americans ages 65 and older has projected to increase more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24 percent from 15 percent (Mark Mather). The
The American population is getting older which presents us with many challenges but also present us with potential opportunities. With the length of life and quantity and fraction of older persons rise in most industrialized and many evolving nations, a crucial question is whether this population will be accompanied by continued or better-quality health, an improving quality of life, and adequate social and cost-effective resources. This answer lies in the ability of peoples and societies, as well as modern social, governmental, financial, and health service delivery systems, to provide optimum assistance to older persons.