Orethapedia

America’s 65+ population is skyrocketing, as opportunities go unmet to provide better care and tailored services to enhance a person’s ‘healthspan’ versus ‘lifespan’. .

U.S. Census Bureau data show the nationwide population over the age of 65 is expected to rise dramatically, from 56.1 million in 2020 to 82.1 million by 2040. The John A. Hartford Foundation and Age Wave identified five key recommendations.

Promote age-friendly care that helps older adults maintain their health, ability to function and independence—focusing on wellness and quality of life rather than treating diseases.

1. Pursue scientific breakthroughs that could bring an end to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
2. Address social isolation in older adults by supporting tools for empathetic and respectful mental health care and support, tailored to individual needs.
3. Assist family caregivers with skill-building tools, flexibility in taking paid leave and ensuring care providers coordinate among multiple providers—making care easier to navigate.
4. Support a ‘national master plan for aging’ that is centered on the needs of older adults and identifies and addresses barriers that contribute to inequities—specifically a plan for financing long-term care and reform of nursing homes, including systems to provide health care in people’s homes rather than in acute and congregate settings. 

We are at a unique crossroads. However, changing America’s health care system to meet older adults’ expectations is possible, practical and could lead to greater health at a far lower cost—and can benefit the government, private enterprise and consumers,” said Dychtwald. “Older adults deserve health care partners who understand what they are going through, have the skills to most effectively support their patients and act on what their customers want.”

Older adults who live in rural areas and/or are women, people of color, those who are economically disadvantaged or have limited functional health are especially dissatisfied.