In January 2015, Global Vision Technologies reported on the impending avalanche overhanging the long-term care industry as the baby boomer generation began to reach retirement age. At that time, we reported that by 2030 sixty-one million baby boomers aged 66 to 84, along with more than nine million of the “oldest of the old” born before 1946, will require some form of long term care services. Congressional Budget Office estimates suggest that total long-term care expenditures will increase at a rate of 2.5% per year compounding to $270 billion in 2030.

Ten thousand baby boomers turn 65 every day. As our population ages at this rapid rate, the incidence of dementia and the attendant challenges for family caregivers are becoming daunting. The impact on social work that this astounding statistic suggests also cannot be over-rated. In fact, the rapidly increasing incidence of dementia is opening up an entirely new practice area for social workers.

Baby boomers are a lot more than just the generation of people born in the years immediately following World War II. They're our mothers, our fathers, our neighbors and our friends. They're also one of the most significant generations in American history, at least as far as sheer numbers are concerned. Most studies say that by the closing days of 1946 - the first official year of the "baby boom" - there were roughly 2.4 million people among the demographic. Flash-forward to 1964 - the final official year of the boom - and that number had grown to 72.5 million. Add in people who immigrated to the United States and you're looking at a total population of about 78.8 million people.

2014

Back in 2014 this blog was one of the first to report on the troubled Veterans Health Administration facility in Phoenix where 40 veterans died while languishing on an eternal wait list to see a doctor. Since then, we've maintained a set of blog posts and articles that have related updates and status changes at the VA, as well as other issues that are affecting our veterans.  A subsequent investigation uncovered a system-wide inability to offer vets timely medical treatment. 57,436 newly enrolled veterans faced a minimum 90-day wait for medical care, and 63, 869 veterans who had enrolled over the past decade never received any appointment at all. In addition, a corrupt administrative culture was falsifying wait-time records in order to protect management performance bonuses and punishing whistle-blowers who tried to bring the wait-time mess to the public’s attention.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 11, 2016 St. Louis, MO – SARCOA, (Southern Alabama Regional Council on Aging), an Area Agency on Aging serving the seniors of Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties of southeast Alabama has partnered with Global Vision Technologies, Inc. (GVT) to implement FAMCare human services software.

Having been in technical sales almost my entire 30-year career, I was used to selling to a variety of industries.  Whether it was helping banks make more money using technology or helping the Department of Defense build fighter jets and other weapons equipment, I was always in it for the money and career reputation.

In today's rapid news cycle, we tend to hop from sensational story to sensational story rarely lingering long enough to get the full picture. In the past, this blog reported on the scandalous wait times that our veterans have endured in the VA system. It was so bad that some veterans died before getting in to see their VA Doctor. When the scandal came to light, many administrative heads rolled and the entire VA system was cast in a poor light. As is so often the case, however, there is so much more to the VA story.

Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2015 (S.2173/H.R. 3712)

As you may have noticed, I have diligently avoided politics in this blog.  Every now and then, however, a social or professional issue wanders into the arena of politics, and I cannot completely ignore the issue.

Over the holidays I volunteered at my daughters’ school.  While there I had the pleasure of speaking to one of the teachers.  During our conversation we talked about the many things happening in our local schools and here in the county. Out of the various topics we discussed, one hit me very hard.  This teacher told me of the growing number of children who are "food insecure."  A term I had not heard before.  I was aware that our school offered discounted, sometimes free lunches to families who needed help, but was alarmed at the number of children in need in a community that is considered to be thriving.

A friend of mine shared with me a personal experience that involved the loss of a friend.  I’m publishing his exact words here.  I also have a dear relative who is currently working through a debilitating illness at a hospice center.  As Frank mentions below – the professional hospice worker deserves our admiration and gratitude.  They have a tough job, however – manage to show empathy and support our loved ones – each and every day.