Healthcare challenges in the future due to demographic shifts
Humans living longer than ever before
Children and youth population rates are lower than the aging population
Not enough incoming workers to replace the seniors ready for retirement
Retirement becomes a more gradual/ flexible event
reduced incentives to retire
Possible solutions
Technology
Ontario Telemedicine Network for example allows individuals to connect with health providers in an effort to monitor and coach individuals with managing their condition at home
also allows for individuals in remote communities to have constant access to health care.
Health care professionals can work from anywhere
Might be expensive to implement, but also allows for less health care professionals as they don't have to travel, and have more time to help patients
More education for children and youth about chronic conditions
Importance of exercise
Importance of healthy diets
Prevention by educating them about the possibilities of chronic conditions and how they can work to prevent them before they are affected
Increasing acceptance rates for health care professions
Make education more accessible to the young generations
Less costly
More programs
decrease stereotypes surrounding seniors
Lower health care costs through the use of new and innovative technological advances
millennial and Gen Z driven by furthering their career
Cost of living increasing, children increase this further
Cost of post secondary schooling rising. Leads to children depending on their parents for longer periods of time
Decrease stereotypes surrounding chronic conditions and seniors
'burden of dependency'
'greedy baby boomers'
'victims'
higher amounts of seniors in the hospital
longer wait times for patients in emergency, as well as those admitted
hospitals might see max capacity rates, and in some cases might not have room to take in more patients
long term care homes having an increased population
longer wait list for patients to get in
more staff and equipment needed
longer wait times and decreases in group activities
higher amounts of stress placed on workers
stereotypes surrounding seniors increase
increased risk of burnout and stress due to higher demands placed upon healthcare professionals
can lead to increased rates of career disatisfaction
Increased rates of chronic conditions (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke, arthritis, etc).
More health care practitioners needed to combat the aging population (PT, OT, recreation therapists, nurses, drs, etc).
increased dependency on Canada's health care system
work for longer periods of time, or accept reduced living standards
increased dependency on family
'greedy baby boomers'
'burden of dependency'
'victims'
increased taxation
or get access to facilities needed to continue living
Millenials and Gen Z waiting to have children, or not interested in having children