As America ages there is a dire need for more professionals who are able to provide the resources and care for patients as needed. This page gives information on how professionals can better assist those in late adulthood.
Services for those ages 65 and older
Insurance Eligibility - Their is an consistent need for adequate insurance coverage as it is one barrier for older adults who are in need of health services.
Medicare is special enrollment that is provided to the elderly, aged 65 and older. Medicare, however, does not cover all medical expenses or the costs of long-term care. Specifically, Part B is used to cover health care provided by doctors and other health care professionals, home health care, outpatient care, some medical equipment an some preventive services. Part B is needed for most older adults, as they may be in dire need of more care besides Hospital Care (Part A), but the costs of insurance coverage (Part B) continues to rise. "Adjusted annually, the basic premium (paid by individuals with modified adjusted gross income [MAGI] of under $85,000 and couples with MAGI below $170,000) was set at $99.90 per month" (Barusch, 2012). This amount was paid by 95 percent of those receiving medicare. As for those individuals who choose to retire later and do not enroll at 65, they are potentially faced with a 10percent late penalty fee for each year they do no enroll. So those who are eligible to receive Medicare are still faced with the burden of increased insurance payments that they may not be able to afford. By 2030, health care spending will increase by 25%, largely because the population will be older. Recommendations would be to make Medicare more affordable for older adults, considering they are living longer
More information surrounding Medicare can be found at: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10043.pdf
Caregiving - Their is a consistent need for adequate care giving for elderly as it is an important factor in assuring they're safety and overall well-being.
Families tend to play a key role in making sure that elders are getting the care they need. The care given by professional caregivers and family, may overlap. This overlap can cause potential issues in the care for elderly. One positive factor is community roles and services are expanding with the growing population. However, many of the community services offered vary in the location, limited resources, and the lack of knowledge about services. Many community programs operates 9a.m - 5p.m Monday through Friday and only in certain geographical locations (Zarit & Reamy, 2013). Efforts are needed by people in the profession to put forth advocating for expanded access to services.
GeroPysch Study - Their is a consistent need for geropsyhologists for the elderly, as they are an important factor for older adults who are in need of mental health services.
The Institute of Medicine and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services report that there are very few opportunities for formal geropysch training at the graduate level with only 10-15 programs offering a gero-psych track. As the population continues to age, the shortage becomes dire. Efforts are needed by professionals to study geriatrics. Without the additional training and education that is needed, many psychologists are will not be able to meet the needs of the elderly (American Psychological Association, 2014). In order for older adults to get the mental health care they need, more professionals need to make efforts in understanding this area of study.
Diversity - There is an ongoing need for professionals to study the diversity of the elderly population.
The elderly population consists of a wide array of people with unique life histories, cultural backgrounds, genders, sexual identities, economic backgrounds, family relationships, (dis)abilities, and so on. Elderly people have common concerns, but it is important for professionals to understand them as individual people first, in the context of their whole lives. Their life courses have shaped who they are and will be the most important source of information for workers as they help them with their concerns. It is also imperative that professionals do not give into stereotypes and base their recommendations on what they think elderly people need.