15 Jul 4 Common Challenges Home Health Care Providers Face Everyday
It is no secret that the home healthcare industry is popular. In fact, 12 million older Americans received care from over 33,000 home health care providers in 2010 alone. With Alzheimer’s ranking six out of 10 in leading causes of death that cannot be cured for Americans, many patients who suffer from the disease use caregivers to retain their independence while living.
Due to the constant changes in policies, the home healthcare industry has faced many challenges. Here are some of the biggest issues many home healthcare providers face as the industry continues to grow and change.
Increasing Demand
The generation of baby boomers is now starting to reach retirement age. As a result, nearly 17% of the U.S. population is expected to be 65 or older by the year 2020. This means that there will be a heavy dependency on the healthcare industry as a whole. While most over the age of 55 plan to stay in their homes, 20% will be forced to consider residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
Finding Qualified Staff
Along with the increase in demand comes finding qualified staff to meet the demand. However, by 2018, the home health care industry is expected to grow as much as 50%. This means that it will be one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States.
Advances in Technology
Currently, the home health care industry is making great changes in how technology is implemented throughout the industry. In fact, many providers now have home health monitoring systems in which patient information can be shared in real-time through secure networks.
Political Pressure
Healthcare has always been a top subject in U.S. politics. The goal of most politicians is to find a more efficient way to service those with non-life threatening injuries and illness in a cost-effective way. For this reason, the number of urgent care facilities opening has significantly increased across the nation in recent years.
While other providers have been folded under the pressure of the everchanging healthcare industry, at Family Tree In-Home Senior Care, we have managed to stay on top. We have been able to maintain our ability to keep up with the increasing demand for home health services as well as find and retain qualified staff to do so. Trust that our trained staff has the tools and resources to make life as comfortable as possible for those using in-home care.