They raised us, took care of our every need, now that we are on our own, what do we owe the aging? As a family member, what role do you play in their declining years?
Balancing your own life and aging plus assuring the elderly do not fall into social isolation and loneliness, becomes a priority. This may especially be a concern with the loss of an elderly partner.
As aging progresses, dealing with the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and dementia are nearly inevitable in our changing society and family dynamics.
In the U.S., the median age has increased by 0.2 years to 38.9 years between 2021 and 2022, according to Vintage 2022 Population Estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Median age is the age at which half of the population is older and half of the population is younger.
The number of people older than 65 years of age is projected to increase from 18% today to 23% by 2054, with the number of individuals older than 100 years of age quadrupling.
According to an article in JAMA (Journals of the American Medical Association), "This trend poses enormous challenges for the health care system and the social structure of the US.
In 2023, the yearly average cost was more than $116, 000 for a private room at a nursing home and the cost was more than $75, 000 for a home health aide.
On top of that, affordable housing options for the elderly continues to be in short supply. Community and health service organizations are bracing for a major increase in older people experiencing homeliness.
The caretaking force is often made up of low-income workers who are woefully underpaid. Even the more highly skilled, nursing trained workers suffer burn-out, and still make far below comfortable living wages.
What is happening in
Wayne County mirrors the
situation across the country
The Wayne County Nursing Home has a Four Star rating, making it a preferable choice of private facilities, but the problems of staffing and availability are a concern. There currently are 137 residents in the Wayne County Nursing home. The County-run facility could handle up to 192, but the State has set a patient/caretaker ratio that prevents the facility from completely filling empty beds.
Beginning April 1, 2022 the NYS Department of Health requires staffing levels for nursing homes.
Certified Nursing Assistant – 2.2 Hours Per Resident Per Day (HPRPD)
Registered Nurse (RN)/Licensed Practical Nurse(LPN) – 1.1 HPRPD
Total Nursing – 3.5 HPRPD
Future Federal Mandate
RN - .55 HPRPD
CNA – 2.45 HPRPD
Total Nursing – 3.48 HPRPD
Bottom line, there simply are not enough nurses and specialized patient aides to fill readily available beds. It has become difficult to compete with private nursing facilities that pay more and are allowed to hand out signing bonuses that county facilities, by law, cannot offer.
To address this concern Wayne County has issued an RFP (Request for Proposals) to find a company study and compare, not only wage differences between similar counties, but also with the private sector.
Wayne County Administrator Rick House said the study should be ready to present to the Board of Supervisors in January of 2025 for an acceptable wage increase for all county employees, or keeping the status quo.
Some elderly can remain independent as aging in place has increased with such innovations as State aide formulas, Meal on Wheels, home health aide programs, physical therapy, home maintenance, insurance, technology, volunteering. The inevitability of what comes next is still a concern.
Home sharing and senior communities have emerged throughout the past decades, but they are seen as a level of life have not addressed the overall next move.
Read the full story in this week's Times of Wayne County - On newsstands now!
