Understanding aging in America
I come from a culture where aging is a shared experience that families go through, not just something that happens to grandma and grandpa. Able-bodied adults take care of the young and the old, until it is their turn to be taken care of. There's much grumbling, sacrifices are made, yet everyone knows their roles and does their duty. Also, death as a natural recycling of life and life is not extended at "any" cost. I suspect this perspective on aging and death is grounded in religion, poverty and a collectivist culture. It's not perfect, but it works.
Aging in America is different. This makes sense given the hyper-individualism of the culture, the relatively "functional" government and public amenities, the insane costs of healthcare and high costs of living.
This is Part 1 of an 8 part series where I will share my learnings in the field of aging and care-giving in America. My approach is:
- Data crunching - consume & make sense of available large scale data & research
- Empathy building - interview & listen to individuals that represent the heart of the problem space (individuals over 65 and their care givers)
- Expert advice - interview & research experts in the domain (insurance providers, long term care providers etc.)
To kick off, here's the demographic overview of "aging" population of the US.
The aging population in the US is on the rise, and will continue to grow faster than the total population
Almost 1/4th of the U.S population will be over 65 by 2040.
The age pyramid will no longer be a pyramid
This means the number of older individuals will be larger than the number of young individuals.
Other countries are facing the same demographic shift
There are a few simple leading factors that explain the thickening of the age pyramid.
Factor 1: Life expectancy is going up due to advancements in medicine and wellness
Factor 2: More individuals reach older age than before for similar reasons
Factor 3: People in developed countries are having fewer children
The rise of the aging population has implications on housing, healthcare, employment, long term care, adult care givers, exploitation, politics and public policy. I will be deep diving into each of these in future posts, but here are a few teasers.
Housing
Healthcare
Employment
There's been a 117% increase (over the last 20 years) in individuals over 65 who are still working.
Exploitation
More to come. Next post will be a deep dive into housing.
Gerontologist/Eldercare Management and Research Consultant | Gerontology|Aging Services
6 年I can very much relate to the perspective on aging influenced by poverty, faith and a collectivist culture. I have also learned that individual aging experiences vary significantly even within cohorts of society with the same aging perspective, socioeconomic circumstances and culture.
Bringing transparency to cost and quality in employer provided healthcare
6 年The rise in the cost of Medicare per working American is going to be significant... and hopefully sustainable.? I'm looking forward to?your next article!?
AI for Enterprise, Relentless Optimist, and Practical Builder.
6 年I think the biggest problem of aging westerners will be "loneliness", even after having all the technology to connect people.?