An article written by Bill Curry from The Globe and Mail indicates that from the years 2006 to 2011, the baby boomer population has increased by over 14% percent. More people over the age of 65 are retiring from the workforce than young adults over the age of 15 are entering. People from the ages of 45 to 65 accumulate to be the largest dominate age group within Canada. At this point, you are probably thinking, how does this relate to the healthcare industry?
As the baby boomer population continues to age, there is a growing need for caregivers. In today’s economy, several adult children are moving away from their parents home cities, in an attempt to expand their career opportunities. Family members cannot replace the need for Health Care Aides (HCA's). The declining birth rate reduces the number of adult children who will be available to meet the growing needs of seniors, as their population continues to increase. Aside from this, family members are not trained to deal with diseases such as Alzheimer’s - which are common among the age group of seniors. All of these facts have implemented a large demand for HCA's, who are trained to meet and respond to the needs of their patients. It is very important to ensure that caregivers who are dealing with the seniors that have been diagnosed with memory disorders, are thoroughly educated and trained to ensure the safety and well-being of both groups.
Despite these facts, most seniors still prefer to be taken care of in the comfort of their own homes, by other family members. Several baby boomers view in-home caregiving through relatives as being cost effective, and more convenient than hiring a certified caregiver. This could pose as a huge threat in the treatment and care of seniors who have become victim to mental disorders due to old age, as most family members are not knowledgeable of these diseases, unless they have had some form of formal training.
The current problem that we are facing is that the demand for caregivers for the aging baby boomer population is increasing and more HCA’s are needed. In spite of this, seniors still prefer to be taken care of by family members through in-home care. Adult children and other family relatives cannot solely fulfill the need of caregivers because the senior population is largely dominant over all other age groups within the country. What many people seem to be misinformed about is the fact that several trained caregivers provide in-home caretaking. They try to develop a level of companionship with their patients to help foster a comfortable environment.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a professional caregiver, click the link below to check out the Health Care Aide program offered at ABM College!
