ENFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
A new study* on aging trends, commissioned by the New England Home Healthcare Consortium (NEHHC) www.nehhc.org reveals that more than half of the respondents' greatest fear is outliving their wealth, followed by becoming too weak to care for themselves.
While some respondents are facing their fears of growing old alone, the study indicated that most people are in denial. “Even the experts can have trouble embracing their challenges as they age," the report noted. Baby boomers' strong desire and commitment to age in place at home was a central theme.
Financial experts sourced for the study said most people who have investable assets are still unprepared. “Our parents had pensions and it worked out,” one financial planner commented. He added, “But even people making $400,000 a year are not saving enough.”
Sandra Sergeant, R.N. and president of Enfield, Conn.-based Caring Solutions, LLC, the eighth-largest woman-owned home healthcare provider in Connecticut, added that more than 70 percent of Americans will need some type of long-term care services after age 65**. She pointed out that more than half of the study respondents fear they will have serious health issues, yet wellness and preventative medicine are high among baby boomers' personal priorities. She added that they are tackling potential health problems before they become disabling. One respondent noted, “My women friends are drinking [special] shakes to decrease their cholesterol and their blood pressure.”
Sergeant also noted, “Options they are considering involve moving closer to, or in with, children and close to friends,” she said. For some it means moving into a big city, where friends and activities are all within walking distance. For others, it means remaining in their homes near familiar neighbors and friends. A licensed gerontologist said she and her husband, as well as three close friends, have chosen to stay in their neighborhood. However, she noted that her house has two stories and hallways that will be difficult and costly to widen for wheelchairs if that becomes necessary. She acknowledged, “I'm just not dealing with it!”
Technology is also helping baby boomers stay close to their families including: | ||||||
| 1) | Skype and Facebook. | |||||
| 2) | Physical health monitors. | |||||
| 3) | Services that respond to emergency calls or that can regularly check in on homebound people. | |||||
| 4) | Alarm services that include health monitoring. | |||||
About New England Home Healthcare Consortium
The New England Home Healthcare Consortium (NEHHC), a division of Caring Solutions, LLC, is dedicated to educating home healthcare professionals about societal, public policy and technology issues, and to develop strategies to address industry trends. To meet the rapidly increasing challenges and needs of the more than 78 million aging baby boomers, experts on home healthcare, aging and emerging technology will gather at the first-of-its-kind New England Home Healthcare Consortium Summit Nov. 3-5, 2013 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, Conn. To register, visit www.nehhc.org. To exhibit, call 800-479-2206, or email admin@nehhc.org. Also connect with the NEHHC on Twitter @NEHHC2013, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
*Hartt and Mind Market Research, August 2013
**CNN Special ‘InsideMan’ on Aging, air date: July 28, 2013
