With at least 47 million seniors in the United States, top trends and innovations in elder care have never been more relevant.
By 2060, the elder population is expected to double to nearly 100 million Americans. Eldercare services will have to keep up with this growing population. As such, certain trends are becoming prominent in the world of elder care.
Here are some trends in elder care you should know about:
Elder Care Technology
Amazon Echo came out in 2017. Since then, certain insurance providers and elder care services have been using Echo technology to care for seniors.
Echo allows seniors to self-report health metrics, allowing seniors to also talk to Alexa to reduce feelings of loneliness and do things in a more convenient manner.
For instance, instead of getting up to turn on music, seniors can simply ask Alexa to turn on the music they want. This is convenient for anyone, but this convenience makes a big difference in the lives of elderly people. Following are more examples of how Alexa can be helpful to seniors:
- Checking the weather – By simply asking, “Alexa what’s the weather?” Seniors will receive an immediate update on the weather and can also ask Alexa for future forecasts.
- Creating a list – Seniors no longer have to worry about hand writing their grocery or to-do lists anymore. Just tell Alexa, “Create a list.”
- Medication reminders – Alexa is great at reminding seniors to take their medications at specific times. She can also set reminders for multiple medications.
- Reporting the latest news – Stay up to date with all recent headlines by asking, “Alexa what’s the news?”
- Trivia games – With fun trivia games, seniors will feel less lonely and bored as their mind enters a challenging game.
Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) and other monitoring programs are also improving and becoming more advanced. Jewish Family Home Care along with Guardian work together to ensure seniors receive the appropriate assistance in the case of an emergency. A Guardian Care Representative will assess the emergency situation and remain on the call until help arrives, reminding you to stay calm.
PERS include:
- Landline Systems
- Basic Home PERS
- Caregiver Connect PERS
- Cellular Systems
- Advanced Cellular PERS
- GPS Go Anywhere Mobile PERS
As technology progresses, smart homes are becoming more prevalent, and in the future, homes for seniors are also expected to have more “smart” features.
More Home Care
In the modern world, caring for elderly parents is happening in the home, and only more severe cases are sent to nursing homes.
As people age, they are at an increased risk for chronic conditions and falls. Assisted living providers are coming up with ways to treat these conditions at home. We will see an increase in programs and therapy designed to treat conditions on-site/at home.
A major point of increased home care is to reduce hospitalizations. When elder people are treated at home, there’s also no strain or risk of falling like there is during trips to see medical professionals.
Another objective of home care for elders is to reduce costs. The reduction of costs has always been a trend in elder care. Medicaid funding is on the decline, so care providers are being nudged to keep costs low and avoid hospitalization.
As a not-for-profit home health care agency, Jewish Family Home Care continues to prove why home care is essential for today’s modern society by providing top-notch care and support. We provide a wide range of non-medical customized care plans for seniors. Below are some of our home care services.
- Non-Medical Home Care
- In-Home Care
- Overnight & 24 Hr Home Care
- Post-Surgical Home Care
- Senior Elderly Care
- Alzheimer’s Disease Care
Home care services tailor to the senior’s daily needs, while also helping them live safely in the comfort of their home. Daily, non-medical services include:
- Bathing/Showering
- Dressing
- Companionship
- Meal Preparation
- Transportation
- Shopping/Errands, and more!
More Jobs
Due to the increasing need for elder care, caregiver jobs are growing. The demand for caregivers will steadily increase as the senior population grows. As the baby boomer population ages, millennials are taking over the caregiving field.
Millennials crave meaningful jobs. More than anything, millennials want to know their job makes a difference in the world and because of this, more millennials are taking up more caregiver jobs than ever.
This trend will continue to increase as the senior population grows.
Elder Years Are Golden Years
At least 69% of seniors will develop disabilities before they die. Elder care is evolving to meet the growing demand for it.
Around 80% of seniors who receive assistance live in private residences, not nursing homes or assisted living centers. As we progress into the future, more elderly people will be spending their golden years in comfortable home environments.
Make a forward-thinking decision and learn more about Jewish Family Home Care’s mission towards home care for seniors. Contact us for more information on how our services will give you the peace of mind you’ve always wanted.