Even those who work with the senior population, such as reverse mortgage professionals, may be unfamiliar with the crucial role caregivers play in keeping elders at home, active, healthy, and functional — often far longer than they might be in a community care setting. As noted several years ago, the U.S. price tag for informal caregiving (family and friends, versus skilled nursing) tops a staggering $522 billion annually. 

Yet caregivers themselves often face burnout, especially when the elder for whom they’re responsible is dealing with dementia or other memory-related issues. If the person requiring assistance has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, the caregiving burden may be doubled.

We’ve discussed some tech solutions, as well as mental stillness practices to aid caregivers as well as those experiencing cognitive impairment. But what’s most needed is a new model of aging, in which caring for a rapidly maturing population is woven into the matrix.

Lessons from Japan

The nation with the longest-lived global population is collaborating globally to reimagine the future of aging. In under a decade, one-third of Japan’s residents will be 65+, and the ratio of workers to retirees one-to-one. This doesn’t leave much room for caregiving, whether provided by family or hired from outside. So the Japanese have had to innovate, as well as look beyond their own borders for solutions.

The Chief Digital Officer of one of Japan’s largest senior care providers says, “Longevity is really about redesigning the future. Every sector —from insurance, to medical, to transportation, to manufacturing, to leisure, to workplaces, to housing, to government — must rethink and retool its products and services to accommodate aging consumers. Now more than ever, longevity economies need to unite in a global ecosystem to find creative and compassionate solutions for aging worldwide.”

To date, Japan’s progressive, long-term care system features:

• Public insurance that covers preventative as well as at-home care, day center care, and institutional care for everyone over 65 who requires it;
• Volunteer training for caregivers who assist those with dementia. Begun in 2005, Japan plans to have six million trained caregivers by the close of 2017;
• Implementation of an IoT (Internet of Things) solution to help ensure ’round the clock safety, security and well being of residents receiving care;
• Global engagement with entrepreneurs in the US, Singapore and Taiwan to develop digital solutions for cognitive health, homecare, remote care delivery and financial security.

The Human-Tech Alliance

Of course, US IoT solutions continue to emerge. OnGuardian, for example, is state-of-the-art care assistance that promises peace of mind, ease of use, and affordability for families. Powered by Amazon Echo and Alexa, OnGuardian empowers family caregivers by streamlining support, collaboration and access to information while providing care recipients with an easy to use voice interface.

Even Best Buy, know for reasonably priced computers and other electronics rather than elder care, is moving into caregiver support, with a new service known as Assured Living. The “smart home” service offers a free in-home assessment with families to design the most appropriate array of monitors and devices. Best Buy “Geek Squad” techs then come install the custom systems, and family caregivers receive information or alerts on their smartphones.

With the 17.7 million adult caregivers in the United States currently looking after someone 65 and older (a figure projected to rise rapidly in the next decade as Boomers enter their 80s), the retail brand considers this a long-term marketing strategy.

Back to Basics

For those just beginning to explore caregiving and seeking resources (such as HECM LOs), these links from AARP may prove useful:

Caregiving Resources: Housing Options and Home Care

Caregiver Resources: Benefits and Insurance

Caregiver Resources: Legal and Financial Caregiving

Home-Based Palliative Care (Pre-Hospice) Options

Finally, since this is the holiday season, you may want to review and share this post on how to ease holiday stress for care providers.