Despite having relatively good health overall, American seniors account for one in four doctors’ visits and large numbers are living with chronic health conditions, according to a newly published health trends report. Senior healthcare delivery will need to evolve in order to serve their growing needs, the authors say.
The size of the United States population aged 65 and older will match that of the 18 and younger population by 2034, the authors of the CVS Health Trends Report for spring 2023 found.
These older adults are more active and engaged in their healthcare than any previous generation, and medical advances have helped them live longer, Sree Chaguturu, MD, Executive VP and Chief Medical Officer for CVS Health wrote in the report. That one in five people will be of retirement age by 2030 “in itself is a testament to modern healthcare,” he stated.
Evolution of care delivery
But the increasing numbers of older adults with chronic health conditions will require healthcare delivery that meets their changing needs, he and the report’s authors added. Although a high percentage of seniors said they are taking action to keep their heart health, physical stamina and weight at healthy levels, many are doing so while juggling health challenges.
About 31% of this population are living with one chronic disease, for example, while 18% are living with six or more, the report’s authors found. Fully 39% said they have mobility issues, 29% reported hearing problems and 28% experience cognitive problems. Another 21% have vision loss and 8% have a need for help with self care.
What’s more, at least two in three older adults are expected to need long-term care services for an average of three years in their lifetime, according to federal data. In addition, the American Hospital Association estimates that the number of hospital admissions and physician visits for baby boomers will double by 2030, the report’s authors found. Delivering that care will mean shifts in process and priorities, they wrote.
Home care a top preference
Older adults have strong preferences on what that care might look like. Four in five said they would rather receive care at home than in a healthcare facility, and half felt they would be healthier for doing so. The need for home health aides will grow by 25% between 2021 and 2031 in response, the report’s authors predicted.
They also noted recent recommendations from the National Academy of Medicine, which include supporting an adequate workforce; redesigning palliative care services, end-of-life care services and long-term care; and strengthening the role of public health in aging services.
Chronic care guidelines needed
Any new systems will need to handle not only growing need, but also care that’s more complex, said Jamie Sharp, MD, VP and Medicare Chief Medical Officer for Aetna, a CVS Health company.
“We have a serious challenge going forward,” she said. “We need to develop evidence-based guidelines for the kinds of chronic care management a majority of our older adults require, and make sure the entire health care system follows them.”
Accomplishing this means listening to older adults, Sharp added. Healthcare organizations will need to rethink the programs offered to older adults such as those that meet their social and mental health needs, making routine care visits age-friendly and finding new ways to stay connected in between healthcare visits, she proposed.
Her organization is “envisioning a new landscape for the delivery of health care,” she said. “We’re focused on creating that continuum of touchpoints with those 65 and older to help support them in staying healthier for a longer period of time.”
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