Wellness Industry Revitalizes Opportunities for Older Adults
Growing lifespans and the increase in the number of people who need help with daily living activities or supervision due to cognitive decline. Longevity means long-term health care providers must consider ways to deliver quality care and quality of life to care recipients.
The experience of the COVID-19 virus crisis showed some care providers were not prepared for a pandemic of this nature. The impact of the pandemic on care recipients and their families was front and center. However, there was a substantial impact on the caregivers and support staff. These frontline staff faced tremendous stress doing their jobs while keeping everyone safe from infection, including themselves and their families.
The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) surveyed 459 members and associates to take the temperature of industry leadership and staff members to assist organizations with housing, services, and programs for older adults.
Wellness a Priority
The survey shows a majority of respondents (81%) say wellness needs to be a high or essential priority. There seems to be a recognition that older adults' longer health spans, longer work lives, and active lifestyles are the future.
The ICAA 'State of the Wellness Industry 2022' report details the status of wellness culture, wellness programs, priorities, budgets and staffing, plans for remodeling and building, and public access to facilities.
"Wellness is defined by ICAA as 'our ability to understand, accept and act upon our identity and capacity to lead a purpose-filled and engaged life...so we can embrace our potential to pursue and optimize life's possibilities,'" said Colin Milner, CEO of International Council on Active Aging.
Milner says department heads and staff members can apply that philosophy to their work.
Shouldn't each individual's purpose-filled and engaged life be the goal for everyone working at an organization with services for older adults?
Colin Milner
A significant commitment to wellness is forecast to shift industry models in senior living (continuing care/life plan and independent living communities, and assisted living or memory care, many with nursing services). Among 242 senior living and care organizations, 61% of respondents believe that by 2025 the community will be based on a wellness lifestyle with options for care, especially for those working with independent older adults as opposed to those in a long-term care environment.
Recruiting and staffing wellness positions, along with all others, is a significant challenge. Although some organizations have budgeted for additional staff members, filling open positions with qualified candidates has been difficult.
In organizations where executives give wellness a high or essential priority, onsite lifestyle programs, recruiting and retaining staff members, onsite food service/dining, and technology or technology infrastructure are being emphasized.
Culture of Wellness
Just over half of the survey respondents (53%) said the organization where they work is based on a culture of wellness. This culture of wellness includes executives, staff members, and the older adults they serve. The services and experiences enable clients, residents, and members to participate in life-affirming choices.
The survey showed that about 71% of older adults attend indoor wellness programs; 58% participate in outdoor programs. Those who participate in in-person may also join virtual wellness programs at home (46%) or with others in a public space or recreation center (36%).
Wellness staff members plan to feature emotional, social, and spiritual wellness in their programs. The pandemic has shown how important these are.
Technology will be an essential integration into programs, services, and facilities. Organizational plans for 2022-2023 are to add technology infrastructure and capabilities to current buildings (62%), redesign/remodel current public rooms (40%), and design and build new buildings (34%) or add new additions to existing buildings (25%).
Worldwide Aging
Professionals who work with older adults are committed to maintaining and improving the services and lifestyles they offer. More people will need these services as Generation X, and Late-Boomers continue to age, with the remaining Baby Boomers growing older. There are 136.8 million people in the U.S. in these generations. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom have a large number of GenX and Late-Boomers who are aging.
The entire world is getting older. According to a report published by Cushman & Wakefield, more than 693 million Baby Boomers worldwide will reach retirement age in the next decade. The eldest of Generation X will reach 65 years of age, while the leading edge of Millennials will be approaching 50. A 50-year-old Millennial? It seems very distant, yet it will become a reality in just 11 years.