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 Princeton Senior Living, 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.
Some strategies that will help us to adapt to the aging population with more complex and extended chronic care issues include promoting older adults to engage in activities and programs that bring them joy and meaning and partnering with outside providers to bring in resources that bridge the health knowledge gap of seniors while educating our staff at the same time.
We can prepare and educate our staff to care for a population with more significant needs by encouraging them to get to know their residents. This promotes a connection and healthy lifestyle, regardless of health status diagnosis. On-site learning opportunities should be provided to care for residents with complex needs and adapt their needs to senior living.
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 promote tools like Stop and Watch and monthly educational series related to different health conditions.
Once a change is identified, the appropriate next step is to notify the nurse or medication partner. The nurse should follow the notification steps of the primary care provider, power of attorney, or resident to determine if closer monitoring or reporting steps should be taken.
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 Princeton Senior Living in Lee's Summit, 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 Lees Summit Medical Center and St. Lukes East with convenient access to major shopping centers and attractions, including Shamrock Hills Golf Club, Fred Arbanas Golf Course, Summit Fair Shopping, Summit Woods Crossing, Legacy Park StoneHaus Farms Winery, James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife, StoneHaus Winery, and Longview Lake.
