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.

The word hospice derives from the Latin, hospitum, meaning hospitality or place of rest and protection for the ill and weary. When people think about hospice care, they usually think of services being delivered in a patient's home or a freestanding hospice facility. Many are surprised to learn that the Hospice Medicare Benefit, a primary payer of hospice services, allows for hospice care in assisted living facilities (ALFs) and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), the latter of which are commonly referred to as nursing homes.

This infographic provides an overview of senior services case management. Individuals need more protection as they age, from the environment, from medical issues, from those who would take advantage of them, and, in some cases, from themselves. Senior services case management involves assessing the environmental, social, and medical services that are required, as well as providing up-to-date information on how those needs may change. 

Our friend, Kent Elliot has submitted a great guide to our blog that I wanted to share with you today.  Read on to learn about fall prevention best practices that can help seniors age in place safely. In the article he covers a variety of topics, including which home modifications help prevent falls, tips on lifestyle changes that aid in fall prevention, and more.  

We require assistance with a variety of tasks as we age. Many elderly people, however, lack caregivers who they can rely on for their daily needs. In the US, approximately 54 million people are 65 years of age or older. This demonstrates the growing need for NGOs to expand their services and meet the needs of all the nation's senior citizens. Fortunately, a number of NGOs in America have taken on the duty of caring for elderly people.
Continue reading this blog to learn about three ways NGOs are helping senior citizens.