- May 29, 2022
- Posted by: Keptinview
- Category: Blog
at home safety/house safety
With an aging baby boomer population, we see an increase in demands for senior-focused services. In the following post, we will discuss the rise in senior populations and its effects on these needs as many hope to age in place. We believe that the rise in the home care market, paired with more tech-literate boomers, presents an opportunity for tech-based home care services to help in creating senior-safe residences. Technology-based senior services can work in tandem with existing and growing community supports to allow for a comfortable, safe, and dignified aging-in-place strategy for those who desire it.
In 2011, Statistics Canada projected that around 5 million people in the country were aged between 60 to 65, a number that is expected to double to 10.4 million in the following 25 years.[i]Similarly, the numbers of senior citizens have risen in the UK, with a reported 11,989,322 individuals aged 65 and above in 2018.[ii]Considering ongoing medical advances, the projected life expectancy in Western countries is also on the rise (for example, 80 years for male and 83 years for female British citizens).[iii]Together, the older population and the higher life expectancy mean that our demographics are at a turning point. More senior individuals will need care for longer than the previous generations.
Aging should not stop individuals from embracing new opportunities and continuing to contribute to their communities and economies. As individuals move into a new chapter of their lives, we must now look for new ways to help them with the challenges that accompany old age. These interventions do not need to be intrusive. Ideally, they should continue to serve the senior population by allowing them to live as independently as possible. Whether aid comes through government programs and services or family and friends, research shows that a great majority of seniors express the desire to age at home, in their own communities.[iv]
According to Age Safe Canada (a home safety assessment and aging-in-place training and advocacy group), around 90% of older Canadian adults say they prefer aging-in-place instead of moving into assisted living.[v] Aging With Confidence: Ontario’s Action Plan For Seniors, published in 2017, adds that while the desire for aging-in-place is strong, more than half of Ontario citizens spoken to express the need to seek help for doing so within the next 5 to 10 years.[vi] This is all while Age Safe Canada reports that despite this knowledge, 85% of the adults wanting to age at home have not taken any actions to prepare their homes for the aging.[vii]
The consequences of the above data are already reflected in the realities of the aging population. Age UK reported that in 2018, one-third of all households in England (6.5 million households) were headed by an individual over 65, with 3.8 million individuals over 65 living alone in 2017 (58% of whom were over 75).[viii] The increase in the single-households headed by senior individuals reflects itself in the rise in the need for medical assistance. This is because older adults who live alone are more likely to require emergency care due to an accident.[ix]
The necessary worries surrounding the aging population and the correlation between their independence and the need for medical assistance have given rise to a large home care market. According to Business Insider, the home care market is expected to grow from $100 (USD) billion in 2016 to $225 (USD) billion by 2024 in the United States.[x]Similarly, in Canada, Transparency Market Research reports that the home healthcare market is projected to reach $18.94 (USD) billion by the end of 2020, from its value at $10.45 (USD) billion in 2013.[xi]
The services provided by the home care market are vast and varied: from community support to healthcare programs, medication and vaccination assistance, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia support, and safety systems around fall prevention. As an example, let’s consider fall injuries and services around prevention and emergency care. According to the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility in Ontario, falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults.[xii] 55% of fall injuries amongst seniors occur inside their homes, with an additional 23% outside but near residences.[xiii]Fall-proofing houses are one of the most effective preventative measures against falls. In addition, services like call buttons and fall-activated alarms and apps have come a long way in putting a stop to some of the most serious injuries resulting from falls. This effective use of in-home spatial improvements and efficient technologies in tandem is a great model for how the healthcare market for seniors can move forward in the future.
As exhibited by fall prevention devices and apps, the integration of technology to aid those who choose to age at home can be a helpful addition to the supports provided by family, friends, and the government. While an app may not be most suitable for senior use at first glance, some statistics can shine a light on how digital technology can be seen as a viable solution in this market. The number of boomers surfing the internet with a mobile device increases every year: from only 24% in 2015, versus 44% in 2017, we have now arrived at 57% in 2019.[xiv] 68% of these users are, in fact, over 65 in age.[xv] As more tech-savvy and younger boomers age, and as their needs for downsizing and safety proofing their homes increases, we believe that technologies like our app can help with some of the challenges that will arise.
Our app is not just designed for the aging individuals, but also for their support systems – their younger family and friends – who will be aiding them with downsizing, decluttering, or taking measures to create safer homes. These measures include interventions to prevent falls and other accidents, as wells as supports in services around medications and other senior needs. Ultimately, senior care should be approached holistically. No one solution is enough, but as we move towards a demographic change in our societies, we can take advantage of the technologies available to us to simplify the challenges of our aging population and their support systems to create a safe, happy, and independent living for individuals.
[1] Canada, Statistics Canada, Population Projections for Canada, Provinces and Territories, 2009 to 2036, 2010, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/91-520-x/2010001/aftertoc-aprestdm1-eng.htm.
[1] Age UK, Later Life in the United Kingdom 2019, May 2019, https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/later_life_uk_factsheet.pdf, p.3.
[1] Ibid., 3.
[1] Government of Ontario, Ministry of Seniors Affairs, Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, Aging With Confidence: Ontario’s Action Plan for Seniors, November 2017, https://files.ontario.ca/ontarios_seniors_strategy_2017.pdf, p.10
[1] “Home Safety for Seniors – Statistics and Solutions,” Age Safe Canada, January 26, 2017, http://agesafecanada.ca/home-safety-seniors-statistics-solutions/.
[1] Government of Ontario, Ministry of Seniors Affairs, Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, Aging With Confidence: Ontario’s Action Plan for Seniors, November 2017, https://files.ontario.ca/ontarios_seniors_strategy_2017.pdf, p.10
[1] “Home Safety for Seniors – Statistics and Solutions,” Age Safe Canada, January 26, 2017, http://agesafecanada.ca/home-safety-seniors-statistics-solutions/.
[1] Age UK, Later Life in the United Kingdom 2019, May 2019, https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/later_life_uk_factsheet.pdf, p.5.
[1]Ibid., 5.