Ten percent of the population in Los Angeles are senior citizens. People are drawn to this area because of the sunny weather and vibrant lifestyle. As they continue to age, remaining connected to their village and in neighborhoods that they are familiar with becomes even more important, and that is why many choose to remain here after retirement, enjoying independence and a high quality of life well into the golden years.
The desire of so many seniors to age in place in California is impacting the senior population in Los Angeles and surrounding communities. As the last of the baby boom generation enters the golden years of life, seniors are the fastest growing age group. This is impacting census counts in California, and state projections indicate that by 2030, the over-65 population will grow by four million individuals. The expectation is that this population will be 87% larger in 2030 than it was in 2012. This group is also almost certain to be more racially and ethnically diverse than in years past, and more seniors will be single and/or childless. All these things impact the need for senior support services as well as what quality home care and home health will look like.
Senior Population in Los Angeles Impacts Homecare Needs
As the population in Los Angeles ages, more individuals will rely on home care agencies to provide the support they need to better manage their healthcare needs and successfully age in place. Forming supportive partnerships with these agencies will be especially important for seniors who might not otherwise have someone available to help them complete daily tasks, manage important medications, or carry out other measures which promote health, longevity and a higher quality of life.
Anticipatory Efforts of Homecare Providers
In preparation for the increased number of seniors across Los Angeles and their anticipated care needs as they reach a more advanced age, it is important for home care agencies to do their due diligence. Salus Healthcare of Los Angeles is committed to embracing opportunities for improvements in home care, home health and hospice care so we can best serve our community now and in the future and help seniors to feel more confident in remaining accountable to their goals for health and independence.
Here are some of the important strategies we use to provide the very best care:
Cultural Competence in Home Care, Home Health and Hospice Care
Salus Homecare of Los Angeles recognizes the compelling need for cultural competence in home care, home health, palliative care and hospice care. What does this mean? It means we recognize our clients as individuals and are sensitive to how their own beliefs, values and backgrounds shape their approach to aging, health or illness.
In the intake phase of providing services, Salus completes a one-on-one assessment where we take time to better understand a person’s unique needs and goals. From simple things like how a patient’s cultural background could influence their food preferences or daily schedule to more complex matters such as how beliefs shape feelings about curative measures and symptom management, case managers spend a lot of time listening. They then use this information to make service recommendations and develop an effective, personalized and empowering plan of care.
Homecare Providers Range of Services and Continuity of Care
As a person walks through the aging process, their needs and goals can change. Sometimes this happens over a longer period, and sometimes changes happen rather quickly. To best support seniors who are living longer and ensure our patients enjoy the highest quality of life throughout every stage of the aging process, we offer a range of services as well as the ability to seamlessly move from one service to the next should needs change.
A patient might start with hourly homecare and then transition to around the clock care or home health after a hospitalization. Should their diagnosis prove more challenging, palliative care services can help support curative treatments by making symptoms easier to manage. Later, if the patient chooses to stop curative treatments, hospice care offers holistic support and effective pain management when the end of life is near. Having this wide range of services at their fingertips empowers seniors to make the right choices for their unique circumstances and take ownership of their health-related goals.
Healthy, Independent Aging in Place
While Salus Homecare of Los Angeles expects to see the number of patients we serve in the coming years continue to increase, one of our most important goals is to help seniors thrive, set realistic goals and remain independent longer. Safely discharging seniors from home health care sooner is part of this objective. To do this, we continue to assess a patient’s needs regularly and adjust the plan of care as needed so it remains appropriate and beneficial. Regular communication with the patient’s medical provider is also a part of this process, as we recognize their expertise in this area and the benefit that sharing timely updates provides as a doctor continues to assess the need for modifications to services or changes to the treatment plan.
We also maintain strict hiring practices and provide ongoing training to our team. This training empowers our staff to remain abreast of the changing face of home care and geriatric care. The knowledge they gain makes it possible for us to work in closer collaboration with physicians, recognize signs of improvement or setbacks earlier and make care recommendations and decisions that are based on research and improve outcomes.
Conclusions
The population of Los Angeles continues to change, and over the next two decades, we expect that to mean a rapid increase in the number of seniors that home care agencies will serve. While the implications of this will be most evident in 2030 and beyond, the increased care needs of the Baby Boomer population are something that we are already seeing today. Taking a proactive approach to meeting these changing needs is something that Salus is committed to doing because we believe in empowering the seniors we serve to remain healthier, more confident and more independent at home.
Whether you are searching for home care, home health, palliative care or hospice care support today, or you’re making plans for the future and want to explore your options, we’re here to help. Contact us, and let’s figure out how to reach your goals together.
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