Public health professionals know that people are living longer and the aging population is increasing rapidly. There are challenges that this nation faces on how to respond to the aging population due to: the lack of services and resources, increasing healthcare costs, a major economic shift with more retirement care via federal programs, and the financial cost for both families and the government. The aging population has the attention of the government and they are currently trying to create solutions to help this growing population.
The 2030 problem article notes the challenges of the economic burden associated with the increase of older adults, specifically the baby boom children in the 1960’s. The article states:
- The development of payment and insurance systems for long-term care that improve or replace the existing systems.
- Utilize the advances in medicine and behavioral health to keep the health and well-being of the elderly optimal.
- Organize and make community services more accessible.
- Understand the different cultural views of aging to integrate cultural congruence into communities with services and resources.
To expand on the fourth bullet, the care provided for the older adults is limited based on their demographics and socioeconomic status, allowing for disparities to continually grow. Also, there is cause for concern about the lack of availability of beds and treatment in facilities. Now more older adults are staying at home with either family or utilizing in-home services. This too has put a strain on families trying to help their loved ones while utilizing social services or in-home medical care. Many are required to obtain powers of attorney due to wait times and the hurdles of legal documentation.
Luckily, social and public policy change has begun. In an article by Taylor Patskanick, Master’s Research Fellow in Aging for the Institute for Public Health, “an evidence-based approach to public health practices for healthy aging have become more transdisciplinary recently”. There is an overall concern by practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to collaborate on how to better understand how older adults can obtain optimal health and well-being. Healthy People 2020, a 10-year agenda that started in 2010 by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, have outlined objectives and emerging issues for the older adult population. The initiative has established the goal of improving the health, function, and quality of life of older adults. Now, they are currently developing the Healthy People 2030 initiative for another 10-year agenda for identifying national objectives with the goal of improving the health of all Americans.
Now, the field of public health has taken the spotlight due to the pandemic of COVID-19. People are aware that public health tools don’t necessarily reach all populations. The healthcare infrastructure has recognized its unpreparedness and weaknesses with the surge of cases of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths. Currently, the aging population, the immunocompromised, and people with chronic diseases are the most vulnerable.
So, what does this entail for a generation that is aging during and after the COVID-19 pandemic? What can future generations learn from this pandemic? How can future generations further improve the field of public health and aging in the United States? Only time will tell as we compare how each nation is managing and persevering throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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By: Hilda Huambachano
Placement Coordinator at WellPath Partners
B.S. in Health Science & Biology at San Diego State University
MPH Candidate at California State University, Long Beach
