Home Health & Hospice Week

Two recent studies and surveys say what you may already know — demand for in-home care is high and bound to get higher.

Study: While it focuses on care provided by physicians and nurse practitioners, a recent study by University of Virginia researchers notes that in-home care demand is growing. “Demand for home care already exceeds supply in much of the country,” says a release about the study headed by UVA physician Nengliang Yao. “Only about 15 percent of frail older adults receive medical care at home. America’s aging population, growing numbers of patients with dementia and increasing preference for aging in place all will continue to drive demand,” the researchers say. See the study abstract at www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00671.

Survey: “Both seniors and adult children report that they anticipate increasing the types of home care they use moving forward,” caregiver platform Care.com says in a release about its 2021 Senior Care Outlook Survey, which surveyed 1,000 adults already paying for senior care. About 53 percent of adult children anticipate that talking through senior care options with their loved ones will be difficult while only 33 percent of seniors feel that way, the survey found.