Medical problems are a thorny issue of eldercare that many caretakers and caregivers don’t want to acknowledge. Not accepting that your elderly loved one has declined and now requires another level of care can be dangerous. One key medical issue that is fraught with great potential for error involves prescription drugs. Medicine, widely considered the solution to health challenges in older people, is often one of the worst eldercare problems.
Many adults who are placed into the role of caregiver for an elderly parent or relative find themselves immensely unprepared for their new roles. In my last article, I wrote about the “Shady Acres” myth of an idyllic place that will care for Mom or Dad in their declining golden years. While that falsehood is pervasive, it is far from the only misconception about senior citizens in our society.
A dangerous myth exists in our country regarding the elderly. Many people assume that a sort of eldercare Shangri-La exists, an idyllic place where they can take Mom or Dad in their declining golden years. They believe that finding this comfortable and mostly government-paid-for home is all they need to do to ensure their aging parents’ needs will be taken care of.
Eldercare has taken an innovative turn with the rise of robot caregivers, or carebots. Japan has spearheaded the technology to address the nation's growing senior population and increasing shortage of caregivers. The trend is not limited to Japan, however.
The United Nations estimates that the global population of seniors 65 and older will rise by 181% by 2050. In the United States, the number of Americans over 65 is expected to nearly double, from 43.1 million today to 83.7 million. Though the issue will likely not be as pressing in the U.S. as it will be in Japan, the fact remains: With not enough caregivers to meet the needs of a growing senior population, we will likely rely on robots for some areas of eldercare. Japan has taken an innovative approach to address the challenge.
The Emergence of Robot Caregivers
Over recent years, the government of Japan has funneled millions of dollars into the research and development of carebots. In fact, the government has invested one-third of its budget to developing carebots. This support has helped lead to the production of carebots with greater functionality and broader consumer appeal for seniors, such as mobile servant robots, physical assistant robots and person-carrier robots. Merrill Lynch forecasts that the global market for personal robots, including carebots, could reach $17.4 billion in 2020.
Paro, a touch-sensitive electronic harp seal, was one of the first carebots, developed to keep patients with dementia occupied. Among the benefits that the maker cites are stress reduction and improved socialization. Further innovations like Palro were meant to keep seniors physically and mentally active by playing games, dancing and testing them with trivia. ChihiraAico, a robot caregiver designed to look like a woman in her 30s, aimed to make seniors feel comfortable enough to discuss their problems.
Perhaps one of the most successful robots for eldercare was SoftBank's Pepper. This personal robot was designed to read and react to human emotions. It was considered a breakthrough in helping a person's ability to connect with robots. In fact, it was so popular that when it went on sale in Japan, the whole supply of 1,000 robots sold out in about a minute.
Other robots have been developed to help with mobility and alleviate physical strains. The Encore Smart, for example, is a specially assisted walker, and the Robear is capable of lifting and carrying a patient. Meanwhile, the Hybrid Assisted Limbs (abbreviated as HALs) is designed to help increase mobility for patients who have suffered strokes or other physically debilitating conditions. It works as an exoskeleton and reacts to electrical pulses from the brain, prompting it to aid the limbs in moving.
Embracing Change
While carebots cannot fully replace the value of personal connection and the power of human touch, they are a potentially effective and practical solution in eldercare. As robotic design and development progresses, so likely will the acceptance of these droids as caregivers for the elderly.
Sources
Mark Hay, "Why Robots Are the Future of Elder Care," Good, June 24, 2016, www.good.is/articles/robots-elder-care-pepper-exoskeletons-japan.
Danielle Muoio, "Japan Is Running Out of People to Take Care of the Elderly, So It's Making Robots Instead," Tech Insider, November 20, 2015, www.techinsider.io/japan-developing-carebots-for-elderly-care-2015-11.
Health care is one of the key areas that seniors and their family members need to prioritize, and for some that has meant hiring a professional care manager.
A professional care manager, or geriatric care manager (GCM), is a health care professional specializing in helping elderly individuals and their families make decisions related to medical care. GCMs generally have broad backgrounds drawing on nursing, gerontology, social work and psychology.
Services can include care-planning assessments, arranging for in-home help or a move to an assisted living facility, referrals to specialists, crisis intervention, counseling and family education. The best time to get a care manager is before a health crisis, as this allows for preventive rather than reactive solutions.
If you're wondering if your family needs a care manager, here's a quick rundown of the potential pros and cons.
Pros
They can help save you money. It may not look like it at first glance, but the savings come in the form of better planning and anticipation of health care needs. GCMs help prevent hasty decisions that could end up being costly or unnecessary. They can provide information on optimal solutions for present and future health needs.
They can relay your health needs to your financial advisor. A care manager can give an accurate assessment of a senior's needs for short- and long-term care, thus enabling the proper allocation of resources. This allows you to financially prepare for optimal long-term care as well as emergencies.
They can aid you in making better decisions. From the modifications needed in a home to the possible health care facility you might need in the future, a care manager will take into consideration the needs and wishes of the senior and family. Over time, they may notice physical and psychological changes in the senior's capabilities, such as with driving. A GCM can help seniors and loved ones be proactive and make adjustments gradually.
They can help you understand medical jargon. The medical world can be confusing. A professional care manager will help clarify the issues and find what is most suitable for a person's needs. The care manager can locate specialists and also accompany the senior to doctor appointments to make sure that a physician's orders are clearly understood.
They can alleviate family conflicts concerning care. A care manager can help manage challenging interpersonal issues, mediate during a health crisis, deal with the core problem, provide solutions and monitor the situation. When an elderly family member begins to lose independence, hurt, confusion and anger can result. A GCM can help the senior and loved ones deal with these emotions and unite the family so that they can better understand and support one another during this time.
Cons
Cost. Hiring a professional care manager is generally not covered by private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare. Services cost roughly from $50 to $200 per hour depending on where you live. The cost also can vary depending on how frequently you'll need the GCM's services.
A professional care manager can be an invaluable service. Medical care need not be a burden for a senior or loved ones. With the right support, the stress of this season in your family's life could be much reduced, allowing you to feel secure that health care needs are being tended to by a professional.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.
