Social and public policy changes must begin soon to meet the long-term care needs of Baby Boomers.
There are many challenges facing Baby Boomers.
According to a study by Health Services Research, the real challenges of caring for the elderly in 2030 will involve: (1) making sure society develops payment and insurance systems for long-term care that work better than existing ones, (2) taking advantage of advances in medicine and behavioral health to keep the elderly as healthy and active as possible, (3) changing the way society organizes community services so that care is more accessible, and (4) altering the cultural view of aging to make sure all ages are integrated into the fabric of community life.
A major public policy concern in the long-term care field is the potential burden an aging society will place on the care-giving system and public finances. The “2030 problem” involves the challenge of assuring that sufficient resources and an effective service system are available when the elderly population is twice what it is today. Much of this growth will be prompted by the aging of the Baby Boomers, who in 2030 will be aged 66 to 84—the “young old”—and will number 61 million people. In addition to the Baby Boomers, those born prior to 1946—the “oldest old”—will number 9million people in 2030.
Various aspects of economic burden are associated with an aging population: social security payments will increase, medical care insurance costs will grow, the burden associated with uncovered medical expenses such as pharmaceuticals will become quite serious, and long-term care costs will grow.
Every elder has to prepare for four key “aging shocks”: uncovered costs of prescription drugs, the costs of medical care that are not paid by Medicare or private insurance, the actual costs of private insurance that partially fills in the gaps left by Medicare, and the uncovered costs of long-term care.
One area that continues to increase is the cost of prescription medications. Studies show, as a person ages, the more medications they take. According to a report in mdmag.com, the statistics on medication usage among elderly patients in the U.S. are eye-opening: more than one-third of prescription drugs used in the U.S. are taken by elderly patients; the ambulatory elderly fill between 9-13 prescriptions a year including new prescriptions and refills); the average elderly patient is taking more than five prescription medications; the average nursing home patient is taking seven medications. The increased risk for adverse drug-drug interactions that accompanies high levels of polypharmacy among this patient population, should lead physicians to exercise caution when prescribing to their elderly patients.
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Pharmacogenetics is a tool that is now being used across the country to help reduce unnecessary medications and it addresses key clinical concerns that a large number of baby boomers will face as they grow older, such as falls, dementia, sleep, pain, and overall medication management, This simple swab of the cheek enables personalized therapeutic decisions for people suffering form some of the most prevalent clinical conditions in the United States, including cardiovascular disease, neuropsychiatric disorders and pain. It was designed to help clinicians determine the right drug, at the right dose, for the right person.
PGx Medical is the trusted and experienced resource for the implementation of pharmacogenetics in the field of aging services. For more information on pharmacogenetic testing, contact, PGx Medical at info@pgxmed.com or 405-509-5112.
Read entire article at: The 2030 Problem
source: Health Services Research, mdmag.com