Sometimes numbers don’t add up, and this can be disturbing when you’re talking about the well-being of senior citizens.
The population is aging rapidly. Members of the baby boomer generation are now reaching retirement age. It is estimated that by 2030 there will be 72.1 million people in the United States that are over the age of 65. This is almost double the number of senior citizens that we have currently.
A significant percentage of senior citizens are going to need living assistance. To be precise, there is a 70% chance that a given person will require long-term care eventually.
This care is very expensive if you live full-time in a nursing home or an assisted-living community. For this reason and because of the fact that some people simply feel more comfortable remaining in their homes most of the care that is given is provided in seniors’ homes by family members and friends.
Short of this home health aides can be engaged at a rate that is much more reasonable than full-time residence in an assisted-living facility.
But what if you can’t find a home health aide? Researchers are busy at work providing an answer to this question in the form of robotic home aides.
They have already come a long way. A robot currently exists that can bring people objects and even give gentle baths.
It will be interesting to see if this technology really does take hold. Regardless of how you feel about it, the numbers of senior citizens who need care may well outnumber the human caregivers that are offering their services. Some type of solution must materialize, and this may be it.
Blaine Peterson
Attorney
Parman & Easterday
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