the aging society

8/14/2019 The Aging Society

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The Aging SocietyIts effects on Health CareDelivery


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Introduction

Major changes in thedemographic profile of theUnited States are under way,and these changes areprojected to accelerate in thenext several decades.

Important demographic shiftsinclude the aging of thepopulation and the projectedgrowth of the oldest old (those

85 years of age or more);


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The growing elderly

population will be a majordetermining force in thenext century for thedemand and supply of

health services and,therefore, for the type ofresources needed to

provide those services.


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Objective

provide a generalperspective for

understanding theimplications of thesepopulation changes on the

demands for health careservices in hospitals andnursing homes and thesupply of an adequate

nursing workforce to


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Growth of thepopulationThe U.S. population is aging

and the population in the 21stcentury will be older than it is

now.

The growth of the olderpopulation may be consideredas one of the most importantdevelopments of the twentiethcentury


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Statistics

The growth to date is justthe beginning of the agingof America.

In 1900, there were 3.1million people 65 years ofage and older, or 1 in 25persons.

In 1994 this number wasaround 33 million or 1 in 8persons

(Bureau of the Census,


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FIGURE 2.2 Number of people 85 years and older,United States, 19002050 (middle series projections).SOURCE: Bureau of the Census, 1993c.


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Effect

This rapid growth of the oldest-oldpopulation will have a major effecton the health care system in termsof

2. services needed,3. education,

4. training and experience of healthpersonnel,

5. knowledge of diseases andtreatments for the aged, and

6. demands on resources for theservices used by this segment ofthe population.


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Conclusion

The aging of the population affectsthe demand for all health careservices, including hospitals, andlong-term care.

Older persons use more healthservices than their youngercounterparts because they havemore health problems.

They are also hospitalized moreoften and have longer lengths ofstay than younger persons.

The growth of the elderlypopulation is likely to result in

increases in inpatient admissions.


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Nursing Shortage

Causes:

2. Job dissatisfaction

as stemming from frequentschedule changes,overloads, shift work, lackof appreciation by

superiors and colleagues Inadequate pay


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Impact

Increase nurses patientsloads

Increases the risk for error

Increase in nursing turnover

Increase perception of unsafeworking conditions,contributing to increaseshortage, and hindering localor national recruitment efforts


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The Global scenario

The nursing shortage is in globalscale

Netherlands needed to fill 7000nursing positions in year 2002,

England needs to fill 22,000positions in year 2000, and Canada will need about 10,000

nursing graduates by year 2011.

In the US, recruiting foreign nurseshas been practiced for 50 years.Philippines supplied most of itsnurses to the US and othercountries.

Overall, the total number of foreigngraduate nurses continues to


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Effects of theShortage The demand for healthcare

practitioners and technicaloccupations will increase andprojected to have 1.7 million job

openings with in this time period.

In this group, the demand forregistered nurses is the highest.Registered nurses are predicted to

have a total of 1,101,000 openingsdue to growth during this 10 yearperiod. In a 2001 American HospitalAssociation survey, 715 hospitalsreported that 126,000 nursingpositions were unfilled.

the aging society

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