Taking a loved one to a hospice can be an upsetting experience for everybody involved. Knowing that someone you care about is going to be under the constant supervision of strangers, as well as out of immediate reach, can be a difficult leap to make. For the loved one in question, being removed from the environment and people they know and love can be stressful and lonely. However, I’m here to lay these fears to rest — elder care services are a meticulously managed and maintained environment meant to physically, emotionally and mentally assist those in their later stages of their life. A hospice is like a second family and one you can count on to help those you care about when they need it most.
Multiple factors are accounting for the changing demographics of America. Both longer life spans and the aging baby boomer populace will collectively combine to double the population of Americans over the age of 65 — it’s estimated that number will rise to around 72 million in the next 25 years. Older adults will be a fifth of the U.S. population by 2030 and it’s the duty of hospice care to assist the country with proper elder care services. When two out of three older Americans have chronic conditions, it’s important to provide them with the care they need when working is no longer an option. Assisted living delivers around-the-clock nurses to aid their residents physically and emotionally and senior home care delivers multiple environmental and intellectual activities.
It’s common for seniors to want to stay in their own homes and ‘age in place’, even if they require day-to-day assistance or health care during their retirement years. Many young adults think about their parents getting older, with a recent study finding these thoughts frequently on the minds of adult children at 88% and older parents at 75%. Elder care services, while not the first option for many, are a finely crafted resource for young adults who are unable to care for their family members due to work, budget or time constraints. It’s not an easy decision for older family members or their children, but a necessary one — if you have a loved one in need of senior care but is clouded by doubt, take your time looking for the right community and services for them.
