The Biden Administration must set priorities to improve care and quality of life for older Americans, according to new Health Affairs/National Academy of Medicine brief.
Experts in the care of older adults outline six steps the Biden Administration must take to better address the needs of a growing number of people age 65 and older. The recommendations are published in the February edition of Health Affairs through a project of the National Academy of Medicine.
In 2018 the U.S. population ages 65 and older was 15.6 percent, with that number expected to jump to 20 percent by 2030. This means in the next 10 years more people will be over the age of 65 than under five years old. Experts say this will create a demand for innovative approaches to caring for older adults.
“We know what the future looks like, but we haven’t forged the policies and collective will to ensure that older adults receive equitable, age-friendly care,” said Terry Fulmer, RN, PhD, president of The John A. Hartford Foundation. “The current fragmentation of care and disparate approaches to treating older adults must be addressed now. We all deserve high-quality, cost-effective care as we age.”
The six specific vital directions outlined in Health Affairs include:
- Creating an adequately prepared workforce
- Strengthening the role of public health
- Remediating disparities and inequities
- Developing new approaches to care delivery
- Allocating resources to palliative and end-of-life care
- Redesigning long-term services and supports
Fulmer and coauthors say a willingness to work across traditional silos is greatly needed, as well as a commitment to maximizing active life expectancy, restructuring financing, and steadfast support for person-centered care to achieve change.
Learn more at www.johnahartford.org.
# # #
Contact: Rachel Griffith, 202-553-8303 or RGriffith@MessagePartnersPR.com