The Associated Press recently published an article about the number of younger people in nursing homes. The numbers are small but it does point to the fact that not all aging services are provided to the aging.
The article profiled a 26 year old, further citing that one in seven people now living in nursing homes is under 65. An NPR article in December confirms that.
Their analysis of federal data from the Department of Health and Human Services found that people ages 31 to 64 now make up 14 percent of the nursing home population.
Contributing to this growth is the fact that many state mental health facilities are closing and nursing home are receiving those patients. And the traumatic injuries that seem to be all too rampant in our young, car accidents and gun shots to name two, can be treated more so than in the past. You have to count young boomers in here who rehabilitate in facilities after knee and hip operations as well. And while state are committed to using Medicaid dollars for skilled nursing, they do not always have funds for attendant care at home.
When a younger resident is in a nursing home, his or her schedule and activities revolves around the interests of the majority in most cases. They get up later. They don't like bingo. Heck, they wouldn't like me coming in and singing Sinatra! They eat at different times and prefer different food. Young people have unique and sometimes acute psychological and social needs. And there are generational differences and tensions to boot.
I realize that there have been advances in person-centered care so that no matter what a resident's age, the care is customized to their situation and interests. But there is a long way to go.
As the article points out, "federal law requires states to provide alternatives to institutional care when possible, though its implementation varies from place to place. Navigating the system can require a knowledgeable advocate and, sometimes, litigation."
Some facilities such as Bayshore Health Center in Duluth, Minn., cited in the article, are adapting. Young people live in private rooms in their own wing. Instead of bingo night, there is poker night. Pizza is served instead of lasagna. And meals are accommodated at preferential times. But let's face it, these are not the appropriate conditions for young people.
I will try to find some best practices in intergenerational care and report on these in future articles. In the meantime, some questions to ponder. And please also see our discussion on this issue.
- Whether in home care or skilled nursing care, how do you care for your younger clients/residents?
- How does the care differ from that of your older residents?
- What best practices can you share with our readers?
- Is a younger demographic something you actively pursue with your marketing or are they a demographic that you take care if needed and called upon?
- That last question may be more aimed at skilled nursing - How do you apply the principles of person-centered and resident-directed care to your younger residents?
This is a very important issue. Fourteen percent of residents in nursing homes is a large percentage of young people. We can debate two things. Should they be there at all? And when they are, shouldn't their care be different and how?
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