On the Monday morning of Thanksgiving week this correspondent paid a visit to the parking lot of St. Mary’s food bank in Phoenix, Arizona. St. Mary's had reported that food banks across the nation were overrun this year by the unfortunate who lack the funds to join in the celebration feast shared by millions of American families. We wanted to gage this year’s turnout and gain some insight into which demographics were moved to reach out of their need and desperately try to assemble a festive meal for their family.

Since our original reporting on the tidal wave of elderly that the baby boom generation represents, we have continued to update our report on the care burden that sits squarely on the shoulders of Gens X, Y, Z, and the Millennials. America is an aging nation. By 2029, 71 million baby boomers will have reached retirement age. Being an aging nation also means becoming a nation of caregivers. Providing this care is a monumental endeavor, one for which American society is ill prepared. Already, around 42 million Americans are providing informal support to someone 50 or older, and many of them are struggling under the financial and psychological pressure. That number will only grow as the nation ages.

As America’s population ages, the demand for effective and efficient senior services rises. As of right now, there are 55.8 million American people over the age of 65. A vast majority of these seniors need effective senior care and social services to help them navigate the challenges in their golden years.

Caseworkers in this field also face unique challenges. Managing complex cases, coordinating multiple services, and making sure that the well-being of their elderly clients is prioritized, it’s not easy being a case manager in senior services.

Fortunately, technology has emerged as a powerful ally in breaking down barriers and transforming the landscape of senior services. Innovative case management software solutions are now playing a crucial role in revolutionizing senior services and improving how caseworkers manage cases and bring about positive change in the lives of our seniors.

In this blog today, let’s discover how efficient case management software can help non-profits improve senior care.

As of July 2019, millennials surpassed baby boomers as America’s largest generation. However, baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964 represent the largest generational birth cohort in U.S. history, and nearly 76.5 million are now drifting toward retirement and advanced old age. Healthcare teams are discovering that caring for elderly baby boomers is far more complex than they expected.

What is Ageism? Respecting Your Elders

Did you know that according to WHO research findings, one in every two people worldwide is ageist against older individuals? Ageism is widespread in our societies, impacting individuals of all ages, from children to the elderly. However, statistics demonstrate that ageism disproportionately affects elderly individuals compared to the younger population.

Readers of this blog from outside the professional social work community contact us from time to time and ask what they can do to help. We asked 12 social workers what they would suggest, and the consensus was:

“Visit older adults in your neighborhood or residents at a local nursing home or assisted living facility and share the kindness of a personal connection.”

According to the most recent estimates, the United States has over 56 million people over the age of 65. This figure is expected to more than double by 2060, when senior citizens will account for more than 19% of the population.

So, if your human service agency is interested in determining a strategy for senior services case management, we believe the time has come. Because, in the near future, your case managers will face a massive workload, numerous new challenges, and a large number of new clients desperate for their assistance.

Are you curious about how you can evolve and improve your senior care agency in the future? Let's explore the way forward.

The pandemic significantly affected all of us in one way or another but decimated our senior population. Social workers report that elderly survivors have been left with lingering feelings of dread and abandonment that continue to affect the quality of the little life they have left.

Total Number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. 

1,101,953

85 and older - 295,010

75-84 ---          287,729

65-74 ---          248,635

Total Over 65          831,374 (75%)

Women are used to putting their own needs on the back burner. They attend to infants, young children, and teenagers, all the while telling themselves that there will be time enough for themselves when their kids are grown. But what happens when an adult child turns out to have mental health concerns, substance abuse disorder, or financial or employment issues? Social workers who work with the elderly tell us that many older mothers are sinking under the weight of troubled adult children. It’s hardly a discovery that mothers sacrifice their own needs for the sake of their children. What is news is how this sacrifice continues to affect the lives of older mothers.

Our senior population continues to grow, with the aging of the baby boomers. And with the glut of older citizens comes a glut of issues that elder care workers must deal with. There are health issues – both physical and mental. Muscles and bones get weaker, senses start to fail – hearing, eyesight, even touch, taste and smell, in some cases. And then there’s the loss of mental facilities. About 10% of people over 65 suffer from some form of dementia and it goes up to 32% for those over 85.