In 2020, Baby Boomers continue to be the nation’s largest living adult generation. The generation was defined by the phenomenal rise in the number of births after World War II. Between 1946 and 1965, the generation of the Boomer, there were 76 million children born. This means in 2020, baby boomers are between ages 55 and 74, representing a large generation of individuals who are aging and beginning to require medical care.
How Will Baby Boomers Transform Healthcare as They Age?
The combination of advancing healthcare technology and a wave of aging individuals will help to reshape the healthcare system as we now know it. This rising number of people will be managing more chronic health conditions and utilizing more services. It’s estimated by 2030, the number of people over age 65 will nearly double. More than 60% of Baby Boomers will also experience more than one chronic condition.
Currently, the obesity rate is 39.8% of all Americans. Within ten years, more than 33% of Baby Boomers will be obese, 25% will be living with Type 2 diabetes, 50% will have arthritis, and more Orthopedic surgeries will be performed every day. Each of these rising healthcare challenges will change the way inpatient and home care will be delivered in order to help a growing number of individuals live at home.
One study finds the economic burden should not be any greater than raising a large number of babies in the 1960s. However, the challenges will revolve around insurance systems for long-term care, making advances in behavioral health to encourage seniors to be as active and healthy as possible, and organizing community services, so care is more accessible.
Baby Boomers May Need More Specialized Care
Baby Boomers are expected to have a longer life expectancy but also higher rates of high blood pressure, obesity, cholesterol, and diabetes. This means there’s a clear need to expand home care and community services that help prevent disease and discuss lifestyle promotions to this generation. Chronic illness puts a strain on providers, and the reality is most seniors have more than one disease listed on their death certificate.
To reduce healthcare costs, more insurance companies will be seeking early discharge and relying on professional home care services to provide a safe and healthy environment for patients.
Join the Healthcare Revolution at Anodyne!
To care for a growing number of clients, the healthcare system will need to grow, and we are poised to help you grow with it. Our professional recruiters are experts at helping you define your role in healthcare and in finding positions where you can grow your professional career. Call us today, and let’s get started on the ground floor of a growing need.