Boomers are Not Happy with Health Care in the U.S.
10/29/2024
As millions of Baby Boomers transition into older adulthood, live longer than previous generations and seek ways to maintain wellness and independence as they age, a nationwide survey shows deep dissatisfaction among U.S. older adults aged 65+ with health care and the related systems and services that do not meet their needs and preferences.
Survey results show that older adults who live in rural areas and/or are women, people of color, those who are economically disadvantaged or have limited functional health are especially dissatisfied.
These are key findings of a national survey, “Meeting the Growing Demand for Age-Friendly Care: Health Care at the Crossroads,” released by Age Wave and The John A. Hartford Foundation, conducted by The Harris Poll.
“Older adults are stuck in a health care system that is not responsive to their goals and preferences. Boomers want health care that maximizes their health and ability to function, and they want their providers to listen to them,” said Terry Fulmer, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation. “It is not too late to pivot to age-friendly care, which prioritizes the needs and desires of older adults in their care plan. There are many innovative approaches to help older adults live every year to its fullest, not just increase the number of years they live.”
Four in five older adults (82%) say the U.S. health care system is not prepared for the growing and changing needs of America’s aging population. Just one in 10 (11%) give the health care system an ‘A’ grade. Instead of the status quo, older adults say they want solutions that will maximize their golden years, like interventions that make care more affordable, innovations to reduce or prevent cognitive decline and health care providers who understand what matters most to them when assessing care options.
“The United States is on the brink of an age wave of unprecedented proportions, and American health care requires a radical and immediate rethink to match our healthspans, or being able to live every year to its fullest, to our lifespans,” said international longevity and aging expert Ken Dychtwald, founder and CEO of Age Wave. “Policy and business leaders must urgently prepare for older adults making up a large and growing percentage of the U.S. population. Everyone knows this day has been coming, but our survey shows that older adults do not like the choices or care currently offered to them. And the fact that although we spend more per capita on health care than any country in the world yet have worse lifespans and healthspans is cause for alarm.”
Today, America ranks 50th in terms of lifespan and 68th in the world in terms of healthspan, according to the Institute for Health Metrics.
Areas of Concern
* Only three in five older adults with a health care provider (58%) report that their providers currently ask about what matters to them.
* Nearly all older adults (94%) say that health care providers should be trained on the unique health issues of people 65 or older, but only 10% of medical schools require a rotation in geriatric care, compared to 96% that require a rotation in pediatric care.
* The poll shows health care costs are a bigger concern to older adults than living expenses, inflation, tax increases and an economic downturn or recession. Just 16%, for example, give an ‘A’ grade to satisfaction with their out-of-pocket costs. Older adults are especially concerned with the cost of long-term care, saying that one of their greatest concerns is not being able to afford future health and long-term care needs (68%), and that the government should prioritize having Medicare cover long-term care (80%).
* Just 37% of those adults ages 18+ say their family member or friend living in a nursing home or memory care facility receives high-quality care. Only half (50%) say these facilities are the safest place for them.
* Half of older adults from the survey say their primary care provider does not coordinate their treatment with their other health care providers.
* More than half of older adults (56%) say it is difficult and stressful to navigate the current health care system, while nearly two in three (62%) say health insurance plans provide too many confusing choices.
The full report, Meeting the Growing Demand for Age-Friendly Care: Health Care at the Crossroads, can be found at www.johnahartford.org/crossroads
The U.S. health care system has a lot of work to do to meet the needs of older Americans.
Image by Image by Bruno from Pixabay
HappilyRewired.com is a Wearever Top 20 Senior Blog and a Top 75 Baby Boomer Blog