Baby-boomer Effect on Medicare and Medicaid

        Long term care is expected to grow exponentially  because the expected retirement of the baby-boomer generation; but while long term care grows, funds for Medicare and Medicaid are steadily diminishing. It is projected that the will be insufficient funds to provide Medicare by 2019.  A big part of this is because of the effect of the baby-boomers who are retiring. The baby-boomer generation is considered to be anyone born from 1946 until 1964.

    Right now financing care for future generations “like us” is a great challenge which Medicare is facing.  This funding dilemma is cause by many different reasons. First of all because of the increase in medical cost; which continue to grow each day. The next reason is because of the declining ratio of workers to beneficiaries and finally because of the aging US population.  This goes back to how the baby-boomers are partially the cause of  the fall of Medicaid and Medicare.

    Although this will be a great burden in the future for all of us who will have to pay higher taxes.  There are some aspects of this problem with baby-boomers to look forward to.  There will be a growth in medical need witch has already been seen into effect. This means more job will be available to the generations who are just graduating. Witch for the most part is all of us right now.  The medical field is probable one of the best routes to go to for a career. With the expected retirement of the baby boomer generation there will have to be an increase in long term care facilities.

    What is projected to happen to Medicare and Medicaid is something we all must prepare for. New measure need to be taken by our government and by the world of health care. In order to save what is left of Medicare and Medicaid health cost must go down.  While all these are negative effects of the growing elderly population we need to also recognize that the baby-boomers have opened doors and employment to the current generation while also ceasing our chances of ever receiving Medicare or Medicaid.

Neglect and Abuse in Our Nursing Homes

Nursing facilities are where the elderly are admitted to receive care and assistance in their day to day live. Unfortunately sometimes the elderly receive something other than care. Many elderly become the victims of abuse while they are residents in long term care facilities. This is not an aspect witch long term care highlights but it’s something that is well known in the industry. Long term care facilities pride themselves in giving the best care possible for the elderly and do not encourage the act of resident abuse by employees, but unfortunately it is something that occurs from time to time.

A congressional report says nearly one-third of US nursing homes have been cited for abuse. The kind of abuse is not only neglect but anywhere from bunching innocent elderly to choking them. This is something that needs to be put to a stop.  How can this be done? Nursing homes must make it a priority to conduct background checks of all employees and volunteers. Our elder are somewhat helpless for those who cannot speak or think clearly from age; that is why they need to be spoken for.

All 50 states have laws against elder abuse. They are dare different in each state but in general elderly abuse by law means; physical and sexual abuse, neglecting or deserting an older person and taking or misusing an elderly’s person’s money or property. Many years ago my mother worked in a nursing home helping elderly people with ADLs. She told me many stories of fellow employees abusing the residents of the nursing home. She told me about how workers would neglect residents by leaving them in soiled clothing. She told me about a case that was so bad that a resident actually died because the stay with fecal matter for 5 days. She also told me horror stories on how employees would lose patients.    

Elderly abuse is a serious problem; those who take advantage and abuse innocent elderly people need to be convicted. Our nursing facilities have to make an improvement in standard and enforcing background check for all employees hired. Our loved ones are important to us; that is why we want them to be safe where they are cared for.

Institutional Care vs. Non institutional Care

Institutional Care vs. Non institutional Care

            Long term care has grown to be a major part of health care in this day and age.   When we compare long term care from the preindustrial era to nowadays and we can see how much it has developed.  The elderly and disabled have so many more options than what they use to have in the past.  Some of the types of long term care currently available are: nursing care, assisted living, home care, and hospice care among many more.  These can be separated into two categories; institutional or non-institutional.  There have been debates over which type of care is more beneficial; while that is still an opinion too there are other issues like sustainability and quality of care that are still in debate.

            Institutional care is usually provided by a large organization that is mostly comprised of nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors, therapists, nutritionists and many more. Among the types of institutional care facilities we can mention nursing home care, assisted living care, sub-acute care and housing services.  Institutional care is particularly intended for those who need constant care and assistance with day to day activities. Today, institutional care is the most common form of long term care.  Elderly and disabled are able to interact together while also having twenty-four hour care to daily necessities by professionals, this provides patients with a sense of security.

           Non- institutional care is usually given by non-licensed professionals. Although in some instances the assitance of professionals, like nurse practitioners, is needed.  Among the types of non-institutional care there is home care, adult day care and hospice care.  These services are provided in the comfort of the patients' own home.  Although a patient may not always have constant care like in an institutional facility, they have the convenience of being in the comfort and security of their own homes. 

             One benefit from non-institutional care is that in most instances it is much more affordable than institutional care.  This is mainly because non-institutional care has workers who are not licensed, unlike institutional care, therefore making it less costly.  Also while institutional care provides constant assistance, non institutional care does not. In this way payers like insurance companies or government programs, like Medicare, can bring down the cost of long term care.

            Institutional and non-institutional care are both very different care types but both with the same goal; to properly care for the elderly and disabled.  Choosing which one is better is more of an opinion.  Since both types of care have very beneficial services, choosing which one is better is more so based on the needs of the patient and what the patient can afford.  As long term care develops both institutional and non-institutional care will see much change and improvement.

What Long Term Care Means to Me

     Usually when I hear the term long term care the first thing that comes to mind is the thought of old wrinkly souls and the odd smell of unchanged catheters. Not the best image or scent to associate long term care with but that’s all the experience I have encountered with this subject in my life. Although these are my first thoughts when I think of long term care, I am very aware of the importance of these organizations and their contribution to society. Long term care is becoming a very important aspect of health care and is growing rapidly everyday.
     One of the main reasons I have chosen long term care is because, like I previously mentioned, this particular branch of healthcare is rapidly expanding and I am aware that it is a smart choice because it is one that could insure employment security in my future. With the economy in such state everyone is in fear and at risk of loosing their jobs, so when choosing a career path I wanted something that would always be in need and in high demand. While deciding I also kept in mind job availability, reasoning that if I were to lose my job I could probably find something else in the same industry just maybe in a different field.
     Also, I understand the importance of giving proper care to long term patients. I feel that it is up to upcoming administrators like myself to give the best care possible to the elderly and disabled. As time goes by we are all getting older not younger, I think its important to be mindful that a lot of our parents, grandparents and even ourselves are heading in that direction. We might end up needing long term care ourselves one day and to me, that is even more of a reason to establish the best care possible. It is also very important to mention that sometimes people are often placed in long term care facilities because even though their families want to take care of them, somehow they’re unable to do so for many different reasons.
     Growing up I never had experience with a family member being in a long term care facility; my family believed and still believes in the old fashioned way of caring for the elderly. My only living grandparent is my 76 year old grandfather and he still walks, drives and has complete ability to care for himself. My mother, as well as my aunts and uncles, each are compromised and take the responsibility to make sure he takes his medication and thoroughly follows his doctor‘s indications to remain in good health. I believe the cultural difference between American and Latin American culture regarding family has had a great impact and influence in my opinion about long term care. Coming from parents who are from Dominican origin, my 53 year old mother always reminds me that she does not wish to be placed in a long term care facility and the same goes for my 67 year old father.
     For me long term care means giving the best care possible to those who cannot care for themselves. Knowing that this industry is developing rapidly everyday gives me more of a reason to dedicate my life to the caring of individuals in need. I feel that many changes can be implemented to positively enhance the care we give to patients with special need. I hope to be able to contribute to these changes one day.