Have you ever wondered about healthcare and why some people value access to healthcare more so than others. I am a healthcare professional with over 17 years in the industry. Over these years I have seen people from all walks of life, from different cultures and different ages and they all value quality healthcare. I have noticed that as people go through the aging process that they value healthcare more as they get older. Sure, part of this may be because as you get older your body starts to experience wear and tear just like you car does after so many miles but there are other factors to consider.
Quality of health care is something that stretches across the generation gap. Everyone who seeks care for any health related issue wants this care to be of good quality. Quality of health care may be viewed differently by people who belong to different generation groups. One would not go to a physician to receive care that is substandard if they didn’t have to. There are different concerns for people who belong to different age groups.
The age groups are as follows:
Generation X ages 20-40 years
Baby Boomers ages 40-60 years
Senior’s ages 65 and beyond.
Some of the concerns that these groups of people have about their health and quality of care are grouped below.
Generation X: Higher Mortality Rates (auto-accidents), Substance Use, Lack of Mental Health Coverage, Affordability of Health Insurance, and Obesity.
Baby Boomers: Cost of Insurance / Eligibility for Medicare, Diabetes, Substance abuse, Depression and Obesity.
Senior’s: Cost of Insurance, Mental Health Illnesses, Obesity, Substance Abuse, and Obesity.
One can see that these three groups of people have some health related issues in common. All three groups are concerned about their mental health, obesity, Insurance, Diabetes, and Substance Abuse. The most pressing issue currently is Obesity and Mental Health. These two issues are areas that all three generations would benefit from if it were made a priority on a national level. Obesity has been an issue for decades and there are quality programs in place in communities to combat this issue however, it is still up to the individual to monitor their diet, physical activity, and weight. Obesity is a nationwide epidemic and many people are suffering from this medical issue. The key to combating this issue is to make the population as a whole more aware and interested in their health.
Mental Health is an area that is failing in quality. The main reason for this is the lack of access many people have to mental health providers due to insurance coverage problems with mental health. Mental health illness affect every generation as does the lack of insurance coverage for mental health. Many people seeking help for mental health issues are having problems getting medical health insurance to provide coverage. Many mental health professionals if they take insurance are limited to treatment options based on coverage or they charge their patients on a sliding scale (a fee program based on patient income) which not everyone can afford.
According to the statistics and the chart above generation x has three of the areas of concern that are higher than the other two generation groups. This being known would lead one to think that the generation x group should be considered more prevalent than the other two. This group of people are going to need more assistance than the other two in areas such as alcohol abuse, mental health and affordable health care insurance. Given that generation x people are aged from twenty to forty years of age and the life expectancy is ranged from seventy-five to eighty years of age they are going to live longer than the current seniors or baby boomers so preventative medicine is key to keeping generation x members healthy as they prepare to enter their middle aged years. However, Seniors and Baby Boomers are still living healthy and vibrant lives despite health conditions.
It will be interesting to see what healthcare concerns arise from the Millennial Generation as they age and enter the workforce. One thing is for sure people are living longer lives due to the advances of healthcare and science. The question is will the healthcare industry be prepared to care for all of these people as they age in the next 20-40 years? What kind of illnesses will show up? This is unknown and because of that this is why the healthcare industry will continue to grow exponentially.