Annette Carbonneau, director of CHW Programs, North Country Health Consortium.
The current NH State Plan on Aging estimates that by the year 2030 over one-third of New Hampshire’s population will be over 65 years old.
COVID-19 placed unprecedented stressors on state agencies and programs resulting in severe shortages in staffing and services that are only worsening. One of the populations most severely affected by this crisis are seniors, who face often unique challenges such as transportation to healthcare, social isolation, barriers to technology, and fixed incomes that cannot keep up with the rising costs of basic needs such as housing, prescriptions, utilities, and healthy food.
When we were all dealing with COVID-19, we were forced to push the growing concerns for our state’s aging population aside to deal with later. I would argue that later is now, and while New Hampshire has worked effectively to recruit and educate more Community Health Workers (CHWs), we have an opportunity to better utilize this workforce as a long-term solution to addressing the healthcare worker shortage, improve health outcomes, and decrease healthcare costs, particularly for our older population.
CHWs are frontline public health workers who are trusted members, or have an unusually close understanding, of the community they serve. CHWs act as a one-on-one resource to help meet the full spectrum of an individual’s healthcare and social service needs, including basic needs, by working in partnership with clinical providers. By being a connector between providers, community resources, and individuals, CHWs reduce the burden on primary care and social services staff, extending their impact to increase positive health outcomes, thereby reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
So how much does this cost? Well, even those most fiscally conservative cannot ignore the numbers because when looking at other models around the country, the savings far outweigh the costs. In one instance, a standardized CHW intervention showed a ROI of $2.47 for every dollar invested by a Medicaid payer. Another study in New Mexico found that CHWs generated an estimated $2 million in savings over one year, suggesting close to a 4:1 ROI.
I have seen first-hand the positive health and social effects of CHWs throughout New Hampshire. In Lancaster for instance, a CHW had a client whose husband had died and was dealing with a chronic illness while living alone in her home. In addition to supporting her medical needs, the CHW worked with community organizations for free yard clean-up and shoveling to help with home maintenance. Going to church used to be a big part of the client’s life but she could no longer attend because she had no way to get there. The CHW reached out to that religious organization, and they offered to pick her up each week to take her to church. It was life-changing for her. She could now practice her faith and see her friends. She was connected to her community again.
In many instances, technology is a huge barrier to seniors and they cannot access many of the services and healthcare information available online. CHWs can connect them with free online services and devices through community and state partners. However, if a client is not comfortable with technology, CHWs bring a laptop or tablet to help find the online services and medicines they need, as well as help fill out online forms, so clients can take advantage of prescription discounts, online scheduling, and telehealth appointments, to name a few. As navigation experts, when CHWs see a need for a client, they find and reach out to resources, and see it through to conclusion.
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New Hampshire residents are known universally as hugely independent and proud, and none of us want to be a burden on the system or others. CHWs “fit” the New Hampshire culture of taking care of our own, neighbors helping neighbors, while supporting seniors to make their own choices and safely age in place. How often do we get such a clear answer to such a complicated problem?
FAQs
Various aspects of economic burden are associated with an aging population: social security payments will increase, medical care insurance costs will grow, the burden associated with uncovered medical expenses such as pharmaceuticals will become quite serious, and long-term care costs will grow.
How can the current health care system improve to meet the needs of an aging population? ›
Fostering innovation is vital to addressing the evolving needs of an aging population. Innovative service delivery models emerging in both high-income countries and some low-and middle-income countries promote person-centered integrated care tailored to older adults.
What are the health concerns of an aging population? ›
Common conditions in older age include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time.
How do the concerns of an aging population differ from those of a population with a younger average age? ›
Final answer: Aging populations primarily have concerns related to healthcare, financial stability, and quality of life, while younger populations worry about education, employment, housing, and starting families. Each group's concerns reflect their life circ*mstances and future challenges.
How is the growing aging population affecting society? ›
Many industrialized nations are realizing the effects of an aging population, such as a decline in the working-age population and a surge in health care costs. The decline in the working-age population results in a supply shortage of qualified workers.
What are the 3 effects of an aging population? ›
An aging population causes social, economic, and political changes on a society. It creates an increasing burden on the population of working-age adults.
What is the best solution to the problems of having an aging population? ›
Providing opportunities for the elderly to remain in the workforce longer as well as engage in volunteering, care, and artistic activities can provide both social and economic benefits and relieve some of the fiscal pressures related to aging societies.
How would you improve the quality of life of the elderly population in a community? ›
Top 12 ways to improve quality of life for the elderly
- Mobility in the home.
- Accessible transport.
- Support with nutritious meals.
- Wellbeing support networks.
- Social connections.
- Mental stimuli.
- Accessible activity.
- Sense of purpose.
Societal aging can affect economic growth, patterns of work and retirement, the way that families function, the ability of governments and communities to provide adequate resources for older adults, and the prevalence of chronic disease and disability.
What is the threat of aging population? ›
Population aging not only exacerbates labor shortages and elevates employment costs but also compels a reevaluation of corporate hiring strategies. However, how population aging impacts labor investment efficiency remains underexplored.
Older adults are at higher risk for chronic health problems like diabetes, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer's disease. In addition, 1 in 3 older adults fall each year, and falls are a leading cause of injury for this age group.
Is 66 old for a woman? ›
Official definitions
The United Nations, for example, considers old age to be 60 years or older.
Is aging population good or bad? ›
An aging population corresponds with a decline in work and spending, and thus both lower income and sales tax revenues. There will be larger federal expenditures for Social Security and Medicare, as well as greater healthcare and pension costs for retired government employees at the state and local levels.
Why do I feel old at 55? ›
Maybe you're not sleeping as well as you used to. Or your muscles take a little longer to heal after a workout. Or it might be a little harder to stand up quickly. Much of this “feeling your age” is a natural part of getting older.
How will population growth affect healthcare? ›
However, overwhelming population growth can strain public health, which will decrease access to necessary care for citizens and damage quality of life. The types of population growth and rate of growth impacts the public health and individual healthcare organizations in terms of planning for care.
How will aging population likely affect healthcare in the future brainly? ›
As people get older, they generally require more medical care and services. If the aging population continues to increase over the next 10 years, it could lead to a higher demand for healthcare services and potentially drive growth in the industry.
How do you think the aging population is affecting global health care systems? ›
Population aging induces growing costs in healthcare services, due to an increase in the utilization of age-related procedures and treatments that are pushing up costs of long-term care, which are expected to grow at a faster pace than other healthcare needs.
How does age influence health care? ›
Health Care Access and Quality
The risk for chronic health conditions like dementias, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis increases with age. Most older adults have at least 1 chronic condition, and many have 2 or more5 — and these conditions often require special care.
