We are in the midst of a major demographic shift, as baby boomers hit 65 in increasing numbers, and the higher demand for caregivers remains – as of yet – unfulfilled. This is a historic moment, wherein the largest number of senior citizens to ever make it beyond their mid-sixties helps the caregiving industry see a massive boom. With that said, certain trends come into play as the market has expanded and compassionate care is now seen as a must.
The following are the trends we expect to see in the caregiving sector in 2020. Read on for a view of how they might potentially affect your career prospects if you are in the industry. This will also help you get a better understanding of the options available if you or a loved one are considering investing in caregiving.
Reliance on Technology
Apps and different online tools have seeped their way into our everyday consciousness, and it’s only a matter of time before more are designed to specifically deal with the issues faced by both caregivers and their clients. According to the medical advisors at https://cpoe.org/, a plethora of tech gadgets have flooded the market, and there are some useful guides that address the specific needs of senior citizens. However, it seems that there will also be an increasing focus on researching the various apps and gadgets to ensure their efficacy with regards to enhancing the quality of life for those in need.
Individualized Care
The tremendous amount of technological advancements that are being made will eventually lead to science infiltrating more and more the caregiver’s role. Special attention will be paid to the client’s full medical profile, his or her genetic makeup, the propensity to suffer from certain diseases, and a collation of metadata regarding specific medical interventions and their effectiveness. This will better assess the use of this information for future generations.
This also means that the caregiver will work more closely with both the patient and the clinician in making health assessments, and gauging the usefulness and practicality of certain technological tools.
Assessments of Increasing Lifespans
Arguably, for the first time in contemporary history, the West’s healthcare system has managed to increase the lifespan of people and keep them alive for longer. Now, people are able to live well past their 70s and even 80s, which is a heartening sign. However, the extent to which people who live long are also healthy is unclear. Expect increasing in-depth assessments made by health insurance companies, the government, and other major entities to help assist in collecting data regarding the generational divides. This will help to frame a better argument regarding the quality of current health services, especially as they pertain to generations younger than baby boomers who actually have fewer children and might work well into their retirement years.
Increase in People Wanting to Live at Home
For now, it seems that baby boomers have some privilege in the sense that they have enough children to be able to grow old at home and rely on caregivers within the family. It’s too early to tell, but it seems that later generations might not have this “security blanket” since millennials, in particular, haven’t been having many children, primarily due to the weak economy.
Therefore, the main trend we are seeing this year and in the upcoming decade is an increasing number of senior citizens who will want to stay at home and invest in the tools needed to set-up quality conditions for their care. Rather than, say, living in a senior home, or for those who are terribly sick and staying in medical rehabilitation facilities for extended periods of time. Now, it is easier for the frailest among us to set-up hospice-like conditions at home, rather than go to a cold, austere medical facility. Especially when they have a caregiver readily available.
The Personal Touch
Another huge trend will be the desire to blend technological innovation with the warmth provided by caregivers and caregiving facilities that are more intuitive and attuned to their clients’ mental and emotional well-being. There will be daily monitoring of patients’ mental health needs, courses such as art therapy and perhaps a focus on designing more communal activities such as book clubs and so on. Growing old can take a toll since the risk of feeling isolated is rather high. We expect the caregiving sector to be more mindful of this in the coming years as it continues to develop different tools and services, as well as having continuous learning and online dementia care class.
The caregiving industry will prove to be indispensable in the coming years, and more tools, research, how-to tips, and other resources will be developed and offered to caregivers. Hopefully, this will enhance the quality of life for both caregivers and their clients, and ensure that there will be enough support to guide the process.