 Seriousness
of Need for
Senior Home Care Services
Who is being cared for?
- Almost 100 million people in the U.S. have one
or more chronic conditions.
- Nearly 40 percent of older people living in
the community – 12 million people age 65 and older – are
limited by chronic conditions. Of these, 3 million (or 10 percent of
older people) are unable to perform activities of daily living.
- An estimated 10 percent of people 65 year of
age and older, and nearly half of those 85 and older, suffer from Alzheimer's
Disease.
- Almost 100 million people in the U.S. have one
or more chronic conditions. Over the next twenty-five years this number
is expected to increase to 134 million Americans.
- Today there are 35 million people over 65 years
of age living in the US. This amount will double to more than 70 million
American citizens over 65 years by 2030.
 Today's Trends
in Caregiving
- Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households is involved in
caring for a relative or friend aged 50 or older.
- About 15 percent of U. S. adults care for a
seriously ill or disabled family member.
Caregiving is largely a women's issue. Some 72 percent of caregivers
are female, mostly wives and adult daughters.
- The average age of a caregiver is 45. More than
1 in 3 are older themselves (65 and older).
- Caregiving can last from less than 1 year to
over 40 years. Some 80 percent of caregivers provide unpaid assistance
seven days per week.
- People are more likely to have older people
in their families today than in the past.
- By 2030, when the baby boomers reach age 65,
1 in 5 Americans will be at least 65, for a total of about 70 million
older people--more than twice the number in 1996.
- Five social trends may affect the supply of
caregivers in the future: 1) increasing divorce and remarriage rates;
2) increasing geographic mobility; 3) decreasing family size; 4) delayed
childbearing; and 5) more women in the workplace.
- In the twenty-first century the demands placed
on family and other informal caregivers are likely to escalate, affecting
nearly every American family.
- With extended live expectancies, baby boomers
will drive an even a significant demand for cost-effective alternatives
to nursing home care.
- Already, one in three Americans – over
50 million care for a family member or friend. Of those caregivers,
40% are themselves over 55 years of age.
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