Question

As we talk about the baby boomers and LTC, let's think about some things.

What affect will the Baby Boomers have on the LTC industry?

Answer 1

Baby boomers are individuals born between the years 1946 -1964. According to U.S. census approximately 75 million americans make up baby boom generation and 3 million baby boomers retire every year. This has huge impact on society, economy and health care.

Long term care is the help people need when physical or mental disabilities impair the capacity to perform everyday life activities.

Impact on Long term care services :

There will be increase in the use of long term care services and there can be shortage of the workers and health care facilities. This in turn leads to improper care provided to the people.

As many people reach old age there is increase in diseases like hypertension, stroke , paralysis , diabetes and many more which need continuous medication and care which requires more amounts of money.

Many baby boomers had not purchased an insurance plan, buying it before the age of retirement helps in meeting the long term care

Expenditure for the long term care is unbearable causing burden to the state budget as many people use Medicaid and medic care.

As majority of long term care services are provided by informal workers like spouse , children etc, but increased divorce rate and many dysfunctional families lead to shortage of these people and further increased the burden.