Getting Ready For The Aging American Population, When Older People Will Outnumber The Young

If you call it the graying of the American population, you are not wrong.

Never in the history of the United States has older adults outnumbered people under the age of 18. This is a demographic shift that will come with its challenges; more pronounced will be the stress on public health.

The graying of the population is an inescapable scenario that cannot be overturned. Since it’s inevitable, the option is to start preparing now. One of the few things that can be done in readiness for this period is prepping the public health structure, personnel, and resources to meet the needs of the baby boomers. 

Looking from a moral perspective, baby boomers have helped in the growth, development, and stability of the United States in the last half-century. So it’s only right that the healthcare system is structured to take care of these older Americans when they have less to contribute to American society. 

What Are The Numbers Saying About The Aging of The American Population? 

The numbers are scary, but it’s not the apocalypse. 

Let’s be clear about those we are concerned about; these are Americans who are above the age of 65 years.

Most of these people were born during the baby boom era, and according to the United States Census Bureau, there will be more than 78 Million baby boomers by 2035. This will be more than around 76 million Americans who will be below the age of 18 years. 

This issue of the aging population is not limited to 2035, according to the Population Reference Bureau, the American baby boomers will be around 95 million by the year 2060.

The reason for all this isn’t far-fetched, the life expectancy in the United States has grown from 68 years in 1950 to 78.6 years in 2017. This is also aided by the living condition of America baby boomers. Poverty amidst these older adults has dropped to a single digit at 9%. 

What Are The Implications of These Numbers

To be factual, the implications are diverse and even beyond the statistics. It’s not 2035 or 2060 yet, and the consequences are already evident. Currently, there are around 54 million Americans above the age of 65 years, and 41% of these aged adults are obese. 

There are about 1.2 million baby boomers currently in nursing home care, and the numbers will move steadily to 1.9 million in 2030. Another health issue that comes with old age is Alzheimer’s disease, which 5.8 million older Americans are battling with today. By 2050, the number would have been more than double. Currently, Americans above the age of 65 years are eating into Social Security and Medicare at 8.7% of the GDP; this will grow into double-digit by 2050. 

The first set of baby boomers turned 65 in 2011 and the Office of Disease Prevention, and Health Promotion believes that 60% of baby boomers will be nursing at least one chronic health condition. Let’s do the math; 46.8 Million American baby boomers will require help and care. All of these, coupled with the fact that a substantial number of these baby boomers are either divorced or separated from their partners. 

By inference, all of these scary numbers mean that the demand for elder care will shoot up rapidly in the United States. It will not shoot up in 2030; the need will start increasing from now. 

Is The United States Ready For The Aging Population? 

The answer is a resounding NO!

The United States health system is unprepared for the rise in the numbers of baby boomers. There are not enough adequate trained personnel, resources, and mechanism in place to cater to the needs of the aging population. This would have been avoided if these adults have a family that can care for them at their old age, but this is quite a void that can only be filled by caregivers. 

Currently, there is not adequate preparation in place to take care of seniors in the United States. There are not enough incentives to encourage more people to take up the skills needed to become a trained senior living caregiver. There is a situation right now, where Americans between the age of 8 to 18 years are taking care of an older adult. 

Since the number of baby boomers will double by 2030, it will also increase the number of baby boomers in senior living communities. By inference, there will be a need for more hands to cater to the needs of these baby boomers.

There are around 1 million baby boomers in senior living communities, and there is a likelihood that these number will be more than double by 2030. When this happens, there is a possibility for a supply gap for senior living caregivers and managers in the United States. 

The Future of Adult Care in The United States. 

There is a big difference between a trained adult caregiver and an untrained one, which is usually evident with the health outcomes of these adults, and the stress level of the caregivers can also be appropriately managed.

Untrained caregivers that find this work rewarding and enjoyable should consider seeking additional certifications and qualifications

And if you’re already working in senior living communities, you will be positioning yourself for a bright career by seeking additional qualifications to meet the growing demand in this field.

It doesn’t matter if you are already in the health or assisted living sector, to climb up in management will require an in-depth knowledge that is only possible through a bachelors’ program in senior living management or a related field.

If you’re interested in forging a career in senior living management, remind yourself of the highly rewarding nature of the work, plus the numerous opportunities (and growing demand) in the industry with the expected increase in baby boomers in the next decade.