In the late 70s and early 80s, large numbers of women returned to the workplace on a full time basis. This led to a boom in the child care industry as many facilities popped up across the United States to fill the need for two income families. The child care industry increase from just under 300,000 child-care workers in 1985 to just over 800,000 workers in 2007.
History is repeating itself but this time around, the increase is in the amount of senior caregivers and facilities across our nation. According to Home Instead Senior Care, it appears that the senior care industry is following the trends of the child-care boom. Personal and home care nurses and aides are expected to grow by more than 50 percent between the years 2006 and 2016. This is an increase in jobs from 767,000 to 1.5 million according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Personal aides who help seniors at home with meal preperation, light housekeeping and general companionship is the second fastest growing occupation in the industry.
Boomers have been the key in fueling both industries. It was their children that boomed child-care and it is now their parents that are creating the need for new services and regulations for the elderly. This "sandwich" generation is the stimulus for industry growths and declines. Who knows if we will ever see this type of history repeat itself with future generations.
Showing posts with label senior care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label senior care. Show all posts
February 21, 2009
February 3, 2009
A Grim Reality in Hawaii
A recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser highlighted the strain that the cost of elderly care is having on the state's middle class. A combination of the high costs of senior care, longer life expectancies and the country's current economic status are not only depleting the elderly's assets but also those of their children who are caring for them.
The cost of a semi-private room at a nursing facility in Hawaii ranks among the highest in the nation at just under $98,000 per year. This number is twice Hawaii's median annual household income. Less extensive assisted living facilities average a cost of $41,000 annually and the average yearly cost of adult daycare services is $15,000. According to the results found in a State of Hawaii Older Adults Needs Assessment, over 76% of seniors in the state indicate that they go without proper care because services offered cost too much. 31% say that services are not even available to them.
This is not just a problem in Hawaii. Across the United States, millions of people are being hit with economic hardships. These tough times are magnified when taking on the additional responsibilities of caring for a loved one.
The cost of a semi-private room at a nursing facility in Hawaii ranks among the highest in the nation at just under $98,000 per year. This number is twice Hawaii's median annual household income. Less extensive assisted living facilities average a cost of $41,000 annually and the average yearly cost of adult daycare services is $15,000. According to the results found in a State of Hawaii Older Adults Needs Assessment, over 76% of seniors in the state indicate that they go without proper care because services offered cost too much. 31% say that services are not even available to them.
This is not just a problem in Hawaii. Across the United States, millions of people are being hit with economic hardships. These tough times are magnified when taking on the additional responsibilities of caring for a loved one.
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