A Look Back at the History of Memory Care Assisted Living
By 2050, demographic researchers are expecting the senior population in the United States to reach 90 million. This means the elderly population will be exceeding the younger demographic. As we look forward to a higher demand in memory care assisted living being the fastest growing long-term care option for Americans, let us also look back at how it all began and how the practice evolved over the years.
The shift in senior care
Before there were memory care assisted living facilities, there were nursing care homes. Once the only option for senior care, it did not take long before the negative connotation arose. Such opinions quickly called for a shift in the world of senior care.
From 1979 to 1985, new facilities focusing on patient-centered care sprouted across the country, thus the birth of assisted living.
The rise of assisted living
With growing interest in senior care, consumers saw four new types of assisted living from 1986 to 1993. Hybrid facilities were basically improved versions of traditional nursing care homes.
Hospitality communities offered a more resort-like setting for residents. Housing targeted residents aged 55 and up causing an importance for on-site health care. Many facilities than adapted and followed the continuum care model, offering specialized care for aging residents.
The growth of memory care assisted living
As this new senior care model grew in popularity, it attracted financial investors from Wall Street. This new attraction made memory care assisted living the ideal senior care model in the country from 1994 to 2000.
The result of this has been a booming amount of construction of new facilities and an evolution of practices within them.
The present and future
The new millennium saw a growing senior population with the baby boomers reaching their late adulthood years and more people suffering from chronic medical conditions. The last few years has seen assisted living evolving to meet the increasing demands for long-term care among seniors.
Today, there are more than 30,000 memory care assisted living facilities around the United States. Private and out-of-pocket paying residents who want to live a more independent lifestyle while having access to 24/7 services are fueling his market.
It is also not a secret that the assisted living industry still has its struggles and challenges as it continues to adapt to a growing and more demanding market.
Media outlets today are responsible for fueling negative misconceptions about the credibility of memory care facilities.
But memory care assisted living is the future of senior care. As the senior population continues to balloon and more chronic illnesses affect older adults, the need for high quality facilities that offer both independence and excellent health care for seniors will continue to grow.
For sure, the country’s assisted living facilities will also answer to this call.
Looking for memory care for you or a loved one? Check out our memory care programs and housing plans by clicking here!
Fallbrook Assisted Living is proud to offer its services to Fremont, NE, and surrounding areas and cities: Arlington, Cedar Bluffs, Ames Nickerson, Fontanelle, Arlington, Leshara, Colon, and Hooper
