Why Nursing Homes and Hospice Care are so Expensive in the U.S.

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Recently CNBC published an article by Devan Burris about why nursing homes and hospice care are so expensive in the U.S. The main points of the article are:

• Baby boomers are about to be the largest generation in American history to hit the long-term care space. Born between 1946 and 1964, as defined by Pew Research, the oldest baby boomers are turning 80 next year. The group is set to flood a senior care space that is already understaffed, underfunded and facing political uncertainty.

• According to David Grabowski, professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School, “This space is completely underprepared for the number of older adults that are going to need long term care and end of life care. We’ve historically relied heavily on families. There’s not going to be the number of family members that we’ve had in the past.”

• Private equity [investors] is increasingly looking to get in on the market.

Another issue that makes finding safe and effective care facilities is the difficulty of staffing. Recruiting qualified nurses and care providers is hindered by the mental and physical challenges of these jobs. Because of these macroeconomic forces at play, the availability of nursing homes and hospice care is down and cost is up and probably only going to go higher. Families with aging parents need to plan now for the challenges of an aging or disabled loved one. Aging-in-Place home modifications can make it possible for an aging or disabled individual to live in their home longer and safer.

Richard Acree, owner and inspector at ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, (ADAIN) is a certified aging-in-place specialist (CAPS). CAPS is a residential accessibility services credential certified by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) that offers principles to improve safety and accessibility in your home, regardless of your age or physical condition.

As a CAPS consultant, Richard can help people who want to live in their homes for a lifetime, regardless of their age or physical abilities. The universally-designed home accommodates all family members at all stages of life, from infants to grandparents, all of whom benefit from homes that impose fewer restrictions on daily activities and maximize independence and safety. Richard has a unique combination of education, training, certification, and experience as a home inspector, ADA compliance inspector, and CAPS consultant to provide the highest quality of service for residential accessibility, or aging-in-place home modifications. For a copy of Richard’s resume please see Richard Acree.

In summary, the cost of nursing homes and hospice care is going up because of supply and demand. The number of aging and disabled individuals in the US is increasing (demand) the supply of nursing home and hospice care is not keeping pace, and the number of family members who could help is lower. An alternative is to modify or alter a home so an individual who is aging or disabled can live in their home longer.

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Richard Acree is a CAPS consultant with many years of experience as a home inspector and accessibility inspector. For more information about aging-in-place services please see Residential Accessibility.

Please call 615-752-0060 or email at inspections4ada@gmail.com for help with aging-in-place home modifications for you or your loved one.

Thank you.