With a growing elderly population, there has been a rise in the cost of healthcare and difficulty in managing chronic illness among an aging population with diverse set of demographics, knowledge, social and economic status. One proposed solution to help the increasingly aging population is remote healthcare monitoring technologies (RHMT). RHMTs are viewed as beneficial technology in elderly healthcare due to their instrumental role to the management of chronic disease while maintaining patient mobility, reducing cost, and lessening the burden on caregivers. These systems provide the elderly with the opportunity to live in their familiar surroundings while data and monitoring continues without being in the hospital or nursing home. Although these technologies may be beneficial to the aging population’s health care, the elderly have hesitated adopting and accepting RMHT. Elderly & Healthcare Diabetes became a worldwide epidemic disease that is growing at alarming rates, resulting in high costs payed by our …show more content…
This number will increase considerably until 2050, at which time the population aged 65 and over is expected to be 83.7 million. [2] The elderly have a propensity to develop chronic diseases. In the US around 92% of the elderly population presents at least one chronic disease [3] In the U.S. more than 25% of the population aged 65 years and older has diabetes and 11.2 million people age 65 and above are diagnosed with diabetes. In 2012 the total costs for diabetes in the US was $245 billion which includes bot direct medical costs of $176 billion and indirect costs (disability & work loss) of $69 Billion. [4] Private and governmental health insurance institutions, health care providers and patient families have a huge challenge regarding how to provide support and care in an affordable way for this elderly population. The elderly also represents 59% of direct medical cost.
Every year, one point five million Americans are diagnosed. Diabetes remains the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2015. 79,535 death certificates listed it as the underlying cause of death, and a total of 252,806 death certificates listed diabetes as an underlying or contributing cause of death in 2015. The total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States in 2012 was two-hundred and forty-five billion (Statistics About
The long-term care system consists of an integrated continuum of many institutional and non-institutional providers who deliver extended care when needed. Long-term care providers deliver a variety of care to individuals with chronic, mobility and/or cognitive impairments/limitations. These providers include: nursing facilities, sub acute care, assisted living, residential care, elderly housing options and community based adult services (Pratt, 2010). A great majority of these providers are already taking care of the many baby boomers that are present today and will be present in the future. “Baby boomers” are individuals who were born between the years 1946-1964. Since 2011, every day 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 years old (Pratt, 2010). This
Telehealth is the monitoring via remote exchange of physiological data between a patient at home and health care professionals at hospitals or clinics to assist with diagnosis and treatment. As our society ages and health care costs increase, government and private insurance payers are seeking technological interventions. Technological solutions may provide high quality healthcare services at a distance, utilize professional resources more effectively, and enable elderly and ill patients to remain in their own homes. Patients may experience decreased hospitalization and urgent care settings, and out of home care may not be required as the patient is monitored at home. However, no study has been able to prove telehealth benefits conclusively. This change in health care delivery presents new ethical concerns, and new relationship boundaries between health care professionals, patients, and family members. This paper will discuss telehealth benefits in specific patient populations, costs benefits of using telehealth, and concerns of using telehealth.
Jost, Kenneth. “Diabetes Epidemic: why is this serious disease on the increase?” The CQ Researcher (March 9, 2001): 185-200
Diabetes is becoming an epidemic. In fact, in 10 years many experts believe that people who suffer from diabetic is going to double. Kids who are as young as 8 years old are now borderline type 2 diabetics.
African American senior citizens face a health care crisis too. They have worked all of their lives to secure retirement, but their retirement has been threatened because of the rising cost of long-term medical care. Insurance companies have failed to provide affordable long-term care, protection that most senior citizens need. This lack of long term care and affordability has been a serious problem for the health care system. In some cities, the shortage of hospital beds is so serious that it is common for patients to stay in emergency rooms before they can be admitted to an inpatient room (Drake 109). More than one thousand hospital beds are occupied by people who could be better care for in nursing homes or through home health care (Drake 110). Of the disabled elderly 1.3 million reside in nursing homes (Drake 10). These patients are unable to perform two or more of the basic activities of daily living without assistance.
Based on the quantitative data available, type 2 diabetes is a very serious issue affecting the residents of Merced County. Compared to all 58 counties in California, Merced ranks 50th in the number of deaths from this disease, with an age-adjusted mortality rate of 26.1 deaths per 100,000 of the population (2007-2009).4 In comparison, California’s age-adjusted average is 19.5 deaths.5 However, we find that Merced fairs better than the 65.8 deaths per 100,000 persons set as the target rate by Healthy People 2020.6 In addition, healthypeople.gov has an overarching goal related to type 2 diabetes and health which is to reduce the disease and economic burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) a...
The vast majority of older adults reside in many communities today. Though many older adults live in their own homes, there are an increasing number of those choosing continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs), which range from independent apartments to assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. With predictions of a large increase in the segment of the population aged 65 and older, an increase in demand for CCRCs can be anticipated. With these expectations, researchers have begun exploring the use of smart home information-based technologies in these care facilities to enhance resident quality of life and safety, but little evaluation research exists on older adults' acceptance and use of these technologies. Since chronic illness and declining health affect most people as they get older, placement in restricted housing environments like assisted living or nursing homes is fairly common.
By the year 2020, there is expected to be over 54 million senior citizens age 65 years or older. Despite medical technology and advanced medications, seniors older than age 65 have four times the number of hospitalizations days as compared to younger age groups (Curtain, 2007). Health care demands are increasing due to the aging United States population, and the present-day Medicare system is not capable of funding this. Health insurance emphasis is now on efficiency, profits, customer satisfaction, ability to pay, and competition (Curtin, 2007). Social and political aspects are major influencers of our health care. The shift of focus from patient care to a business model has caused hospitals to maintain a tight budget, often affecting nursing staff ratios. Lean staffing ratios is associated with an increase in malpractice suits due to adverse events (Curtin, 2007).
Improving health is in the best interest of everyone, including non-health professionals. Health managers need to be constantly looking for ways to improve access to health care, the quality of the care, and cost containment. Often, the biggest barriers to accessing healthcare are cost and location. Lower income individuals just do not have the resources to have optimal healthcare, or cannot take the time away from employment to deal with health issues. One potential solution to help with these problems could be “telehealth.”
Our current health care system is already overwhelmed by the influx of older patients. If we do not take action now to remedy this shortage, we will jeopardize the future of our aging society’s health. Elder Workforce Alliance urges action for federally mandated requirements of geriatric training in all health professions, positive working conditions for healthcare providers devoted to elder care and redesigns of healthcare delivery models to achieve higher quality of care for geriatric patients.
Kick, Ella. "Overview: Health Care and the Aging Population: What Are Today's Challenges?" The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. N.p., n.d. Web.
Today, world’s population is aging at a very fast pace and United States is no exception to this demographic change. According to the U.S Census Bureau, senior citizens will be accounted for 21% of the American population in 2050 (Older Americans, 2012). Although living longer lives may not seem like a negative sign, living longer does not necessarily mean living healthier. Older adults of today are in need of long-term and health care services more than any generation before them (Older Americans, 2012). Because of the growing need for senior care, millions of families are facing critical decisions on how to provide care for their parents. In addition, declining birthrates may cause people to have less familial care and support as they age. To be able to provide the necessary care for senior citizens government funded long term care insurance program is needed.
Zimmet, P., K.G. Alberti, and J. Shaw.2001. Global and societal implications of the diabetes epidemic. Nature 414 (December 13): 782-86
In conclusion, diabetes is a serious disease and can be life threatening. With the right research and implementation of new studies diabetes can be reduced among the populations. We as a people need to realize this epidemic and all get together and beat it. Restaurants need to stop putting chemicals and unnecessary fats in their food. Not only diabetics but everyone should educate themselves on what is going in your body when you eat. Also, exercising and getting off the couch, in children, needs to be addressed and that alone would help reduce diabetes in the younger population. I can’t stress enough on education. If you know what you are eating or how you are exercising you protect yourself from poor health and live a great life. Type 2 diabetes can be dwindled down with a conscious individual and group effort.