Age is a natural part of life, and as Americans get older, they may often experience complicated health needs. Physical and mental conditions often develop as a person ages, and men and women alike may need extra care starting at age 65 or so. And in some cases, long term care facilities or rehab facilities are needed for a senior citizen with serious health care needs. It should be noted that a skilled nursing facility is not just an ordinary retirement home; a rehab facility or long term care facility is for patients with serious health care needs. Many older Americans have one or more chronic health care conditions, and professional help is needed in many cases to preserve the patient’s dignity of life and safety. Other times, a senior citizen with a chronic condition can have their health managed with live in care. Or, a relative may search “long term care facilities in near me” to find such a place for a loved one. Searching by area might help, such as “long term care facilities in near me Boston MA” or “long term care facilities in near me San Diego CA.”
Americans and Age
More and more people around the world are becoming elderly as standards of living improve and illness is fought off. Some nations are aging faster than others, with some western European nations, the United States, and especially Japan seeing rapidly growing elderly populations. Overall, the global population of those aged 60 and over is due to double from 2015 to 2050, climbing from 12% to 22% of the world’s population. In the United States, advanced age often comes with increasing health complications, and plenty of statistics are kept to keep track of this. The first Baby Boomers, for example, turned 65 years old in 2011, and this began a trend of growth within the American senior population that may continue to about 2030.
What can a person expect from advanced age? Nearly 70% of Americans aged 65 and over will need long-term care at some point or other, and these conditions may be physical or mental. Sometimes, osteoporosis or arthritis may limit a senior citizen’s movements, or dementia may occur. In particular, around 64% of those aged 65 and over in American nursing homes have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Many older Americans are in fact dealing with more than one chronic condition at a time. In more serious cases, long-term care is there to help.
Finding Long Term Care Facilities In Near Me
It should be noted that a regular nursing home or retirement home is not suitable for all elderly Americans. Those with more serious chronic conditions will need long-term care at skilled nursing facilities, so concerned relatives may look up such places for them. At such a facility, a senior citizen can expect nurses and physicians to check up on them, provide medication, and even emergency medical help at any time. Care at these facilities, and general companionship, can help maintain the resident’s dignity of life and safety as much as possible. Family may often visit, especially if the long-term care site is nearby.
Live In Care
For less serious healthcare needs, senior citizens may have live-in care assistants in their own residence, or such healthcare professionals may visit every day. In arrangements like these, the senior citizen can continue living in his or her own residence, but they can get checkup and help with everyday life with nurses or even skilled healthcare assistants. These assistants may help out with everyday work, such as doing dishes or laundry, cooking, taking care of pets or a garden, house maintenance, and shopping.
Dementia patients may certainly get this sort of care if their condition is not yet serious enough to require long-term care facilities. There are steps to take, however. The senior citizen’s home should be made safe, since Alzheimer’s in particular often causes physical clumsiness. Tripping hazards such as electrical cords and rugs should be cleared away, and sharp or flame-producing items can be locked away. Items in the home can be arranged in a practical, logical, and consistent manner to minimize the impact of memory loss, and companionship and mental exercise can also help manage the condition.
