| Our World and Health Care Delivery In The Future | | | LaTisha M. Green | HCA/24011/04/2012Vinod Sharma |

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Demographics and disease trends have a big influence on health care and how it is going to be delivered now and in the future as well. The world around us is forever changing and we need to make sure that we are changing and evolving with it as well. In this paper we are going to discuss two things that are making us look at how health care is going to have to be delivered in order to take care of the aging and how to treat obesity as well. The objective of this paper is to bring to light some of the demographic changes and disease trends that have already happened and that is going to happen in the near future. These changes and future trends will reshape the nation in the years and decades to come.
Demographics of Aging In the United States there are almost 40 million people aged 65 +. That is almost 13% of the population and by 2030 there will be more than 72 million older people. That will make up about l9% of the world population. That is just like saying that someone turns 50 every 8 seconds. Also each year more than 3.5 million boomers turn 55 and by the year 2012 America’s 50 and older population will reach an all-time high of 100 million people. According to the Administration on Aging of the Department of Health and Human Services:

* The number of Americans who will reach 65 over the next two decades increased by 31% during this past decade. * If you reach 65 you can expect to live almost 19 more years. * No surprise that women outnumber men by almost 6 million. * Seventy two percent of older men are married; 42% of women are married. * About 31% (11.2 million) of older persons live alone. * Almost a half of a million grandparents have primary responsibility for their grandchildren. * The population of 65+ will increase from 35 million in 2000 to 55 million in 2020. * The 85+ population is projected to increase from 4.2 million in 2000 to 6.6 million in 2020. * Minority populations are projected to increase from 5.7 million in 2000 to 12.9 million in 2020 representing 23.6% of the elderly. * Major sources of income for older people in 2007 were: Social Security - 87%; income from assets - 52%; private pensions - 28%; government employee pensions -13%; and earnings - 25%. Also aging is a global phenomenon and by the year 2030 there are going to be 55 countries that will see their 65 and older populations will be 20 percent of their total population. By the year 2040 the global population is projected to reach the number of 1.3 billion older people and that will account for 14 percent of the total number.
Environmental Factors of Aging We have come to learn that your environment plays a major role in how we as Americans are aging in today’s world. The disease patterns of today are totally different from the patterns century ago. The changes in the built and social environments, as well as public health and medical advances have made it possible to have a longer life span. But also independent of longevity some of these changes have also influenced the nature of these diseases throughout the lifespan. Rather many of the diseases of today including also those that disproportionately affect the quality of life in an aging population could be delayed or even prevented as well. The aging process depends on both genetic and environmental factors. We have recognized that every individual has his or her own genetic makeup and environment and they both interact with one another. This helps us to understand that aging process and how it can occur at such different rates for different individuals. There are many different environmental factors that do play a role in the aging process as well such as the quality of health care that you have been getting, lifestyle, air, water, food, place we live, and even the amount of sun that we are exposed to as well are some factors. There are people that actually think that is begins in the womb and continues throughout our lifetime. An environmental factor plays a role in setting the stage for later in life health and disease.
Changing Demographics of Aging In the United States the population had been relatively young aged in the first half of the 20th century. This happened because of three demographic trends relatively high fertility, declining infant and childhood mortality, and also high rates of net immigration to the United States by young families and workers. This has been happening since 1950 and The United States have been in a mist of demographic change rapid population aging. This means the older population is replacing the earlier young age sex structure. This group had been increasing as percentage of the total United States population. In 1950 they represented 8.1% of the total population and that increased to 12.8% in 2009 and is projected to reach 20.2% by the year 2050. That’s just like saying 1 and every 5th person will be the age 65 or older. The table below shows how the population has and will increase from the year 1950-2050.

Table 3. U.S. Population, by Age Group: 1950-2050 Age/year 1950 1975 2000 2025 2050 |
Number ( in thousands, rounded)
Total 152,272 215,972 282,171 357,452 439,010
0-19, 51,673 75,646 80,576 94,254 112,940
20-64 88,202 117,630 166,522 199,290 237,523
65-65+ 12,397 22,696 35,074 63,907 88,547
Percent in Age group (rounded)
0-19 33.9 35.0 28.6 26.4 25.7
20-64 57.9 54.5 59.0 55.8 54.1
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65-65+ 8.1 10.5 12.4 17.9 20.2 Source: CRS computations based on data in the U.S. January 21, 2011 based on the Census Bureau’s December 2010 data release. These data do not include results from the 2010 census.
Aging Trends in Health Issues As people age their health problems tend to increase a fact that boomers are starting to face now. Although boomers have been aware of the need to be proactive in maintaining a healthy life many still struggle to do this. Although some developments of health problems are inevitable part of aging it had become very unlikely that the boomers will take this passively. A demand for more resources and new research are needed to provide and meet the health care needs of them will increase. The mere fact that aging combined with the large boomer demographic just means that number of older adults are vulnerable to health problems and it is going to only rise higher. Just this only will affect the nation’s current health care financing and delivery systems. The recent passaged Affordable Care Act was an important step to make it available for broad reaching health policies and practices. It in addition will motivate individual behavior and lifestyle changes also coupled with a preventive. Low cost approaches to medicine this will also help lighten the load and the demands on our health care system.
Diseases of Aging When you age there are so many things that will change in your body and how you deal with it can help or hurt you as well. Environmental factors are believed to influence across your lifespan. This process will be altering basic biological and ways that over time may increase or even decrease our risk of age related disease and conditions that comes along with aging. Inflammation plays a big role in many diseases where the body immune system responds to infections and injuries. This very important process speeds up a vital defense response to invaders some of these are bacteria and allergens. This process can continue over a long period of time and increase the risk of chronic diseases to happen. There are scientist are finding out that inflammation is playing a role in atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and diabetes.
Health Education There are many things that can be done to help the aging deal with some of the health problems that they may deal with. Letting them know that exercise is very important for you. Just taking a simple walk up and down your neighborhood will keep the blood following through your veins and is good exercise as well. Even if you can’t get out just walking around your house is good as well. Also watching what you are eating is another way that you can fight off diabetes and heart disease as well and making sure that they are letting them know to keeping themselves hydrated with their liquid intake. Let them know about the risk factors as well to help them keep an eye out for themselves. Your environment plays a part in it as well.
Obesity
There is new data that is showing that the obesity rate in the United States and as well as other nations will hit an all-time high in the next 20 years. This is making researchers having to start calling on the government to take the lead in the fight on this issue. In the U.S. alone researchers expect 65 million more obese adults by the year 2030 if this trend continues. With an increase like this that would mean that 50% of the nation’s men would be obese and 45% to 52% of women would be obese as well that has been showed in one study. There is an estimated 99 million obese individuals in the U.S. that equals out to about one in three people are obese and although rates may vary by sex and ethnicity. This isn’t only a problem that is happening to us it goes well beyond our borders as well. Worldwide it is estimated about 1.5 billion adults are overweight and an additional half billion are obese research has been showed.
Environmental Factors in Obesity Your environment plays a role in obesity as well. People may tend to make decisions based on things that are in their environment or community. You may choice not to go outside and exercise because the neighborhood isn’t all that safe. See your community, your home, and your workplace all play a part in your decision making process about your health. When there are limited options for physical activity and eating healthy you tend to make poor choices. When you are only offered high calorie food all the time and are never offered anything healthy then you tend to make bad choices on your eating habit. What people around you are eating influences what you will out in your mouth as well.
Changing Demographics in Obesity There are many things that have changed that have caused obesity to raise the rate that it has. There is evidence to suggest that calories expended have not changed but calorie consumed have risen markedly. In the 1960’s food was prepared by families we cooked our own meals and we ate at home. With the invention of vacuum packing, improved preservatives, deep freezing, artificial flavors and microwaves had enabled manufactures to cook food centrally and ship it to their consumers. The switch from individual to mass preparation lowered time price of food consumption and that led to increased quantity and variety of foods consumed.
Health Issues of Obesity Obesity will play a major role in health care and how it is going to need to be delivered to Americans. With the rate that obesity is raising it is going to put a strain on the health care system that is already struggling. When you are obese there are other things that may come into play as well. Being obese you may happen to develop other health issues as well. Some of these are diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Those extra numbers on the scale can translate into an increase in health problems for you. In the U.S. alone a study suggest that we should expect to see 7.8 million extra cases of diabetes by the year 2030, 6.8 million more cases of coronary heart disease and stroke, and 539.000 cases of cancer as well if weight gain continues the way that it is. What you put in your body and how much you consume as well effects your weight. Not exercising and just sitting around in front of a television doesn’t help with your weight problem.
Education
There are many ways that we can fight this trend that is happening. We need to promote healthy living and eating first and foremost. We also need to push that exercise is very important as well. Keeping yourself moving at least an hour a day we help you stay in good health. If you are just consuming large quantities of food and not burning the calories off in a positive way then you are setting yourself up to weight problems and also other health issues as well.
Future in Health Care The future in health care I think will be able to support the aging and obese population if we make sure that there are going to be people that are trained to take care of the growing need of the older generation. We know now that the rate that the age population is going we are going to have to adjust the way that we deliver health care to the elderly and the ones that are obese as well. We need to make sure that there are enough doctors that specialize in the treatment of diseases that tend to happen to order people. Also make sure that there is someone in place to treat people that are dealing with weight issues as well. Some may even need to sit down and talks to someone about things that are going on around them are making these issues a bigger problem than what they have to be in their life. We as a nation need to step up and make sure that we have everything in order for the boomers and their health issues. There are many things that can affect a nation and we have talked about two of the things that are affecting our nation the most. The aging of our population and the obesity crisis that we are facing and with the way that things are going the older generation just may out live the younger ones if you take care of them when they hit the retirement age. Make sure that we educate them on the risk factors of aging and obesity and make sure that we have someone who can answer any question that they may have when it comes to their health care and how we deliver it to them.

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