February 23, 2024
As the global population ages, it will bring both opportunities and challenges for senior living. The projected number of Americans aged 65 and older is expected to double from 46 million to over 98 million by 2060. It will be the first time in history the number of older adults outnumbers children under age five. In addition, older adults will live longer than ever before. One out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90. These remarkable gains are due to improved public health, better nutrition, and better healthcare.
With many people now expected to live into their nineties or beyond, there will be many new challenges and questions to answer. Even though people are living longer, they are not necessarily living healthier. The nature of the assisted living prospect has changed dramatically over the past 15 years, with even greater changes to come. The senior living industry, including The Boulevard Senior Living – St. Charles, will need to consider ways to adapt to residents with more complex and extended chronic care needs.
Some ways to adapt to residents with more complex needs include additional staff training. Not only will staff need the skills to care for residents progressing in their disease processes, but they will also need to understand how to quickly identify changes in their condition. Being proactive in this effort will allow teams to provide the care the residents need precisely when they need it.
Third-party vendors will be crucial to helping our assisted living staff be proactive.
The following will be crucial for caring for a resident population:
These vendors provide resident-specific care needed to help older adults continue to thrive in the assisted living environment.
We can prepare and educate our staff to care for a population with greater needs through continued monthly education with Relias. Outside companies, such as home health and hospices, are also available to give discussions and training.
It is more important than ever to take a proactive approach when a change in condition occurs with a resident. To ensure our teams recognize even small changes within residents, we must have longevity staff so they get to know our residents well and recognize any changes. Direct care staff and servers can notice changes in eating habits, and housekeepers may see the quantity of laundry and upkeep of the apartments change. We have a form called Stop & Watch that all staff have access to and are encouraged to fill out to notify Wellness of any changes they see.
Once a change is identified, the appropriate next steps are to notify the family and the primary care physician to collaborate on the best approach. It may include medication changes, therapy, home health nurse to assist in care, or hospice.
Caring for a sicker population in an assisted living setting is a challenging issue that requires a multifaceted approach. Aging in place is an important goal for an older adult and should also be a priority of the senior living industry. To meet this goal, we must ensure we can fulfill the needs of our aging residents.
The Boulevard Senior Living of Saint Charles in St. Charles, MO offers independent senior apartments, assisted living, and memory care with a variety of services and a range of floor plan options. Amenities include restaurant dining, 24-hour bistro, concierge service, housekeeping, events and entertainment, personal care, transportation services, and more. Centrally located near SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital St. Charles with convenient access to major shopping centers and clubs, including St. Peters Golf Club, Mid Rivers Mall, Katy Trail, Main Street St. Charles, New Town at St.Charles, and the Streets of St. Charles.
