Report: 18 million seniors need daily assistance

About 18 million seniors need help with activities daily — that’s more than twice as many as previously thought. The report by Milbank Quarterly, “Disability and Care Needs Among Older Americans,” gives a new perspective on the caretakers they depend on. It also points to the size of the opportunity for healthcare entrepreneurs, outlined in […]

By Stephanie Baum on October 09, 2014

About 18 million seniors need help with activities daily — that’s more than twice as many as previously thought. The report by Milbank Quarterly, “Disability and Care Needs Among Older Americans,” gives a new perspective on the caretakers they depend on. It also points to the size of the opportunity for healthcare entrepreneurs, outlined in an AARP report that was published recently.

The authors analyzed the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, a new national panel study of more than 8,000 Medicare enrollees, according to the report. So why the jump in the number?

A Forbes article said the researchers worked from a different survey. The National Health and Aging Trends Study asked people if they received care at any time during the month prior to the survey. That’s a departure from other studies, which looked at shorter periods of time. They included a broader definition of mobility limitations than earlier studies.

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Among the highlights of the study:

  • 1 in 4 older adults receiving help lived in either a supportive care (15 percent) or a nursing home (10 percent) setting;
  • Nearly 3 million received assistance with three or more self-care or mobility activities in settings other than nursing homes;
  • A disproportionate share of persons at this level had low incomes.
  • Nearly all older adults in settings other than nursing homes had at least one potential informal care network member (family or household member or close friend);
  • The average number of care network members was four.

An AARP report highlighted nine areas where healthcare entrepreneurs are working on services to help seniors, from reducing their isolation with online social communities to care navigation, medication management and aging with vitality. Many of the young companies highlighted in the report target caretakers. You can download that report here.