The world elderly is typically used to describe a person aged 65 years or more. It’s not a great word because it conjures images of frailty and the need for constant care. More recently the terms ‘robust aging’ and 'active aging' have been coined because they better reflect the vitality (e.g. mental, physical and social health) of many older adults.
People aged 60-79 are now referred to as ‘young-old’ and choose to remain employed or otherwise continue their normal daily activities well beyond the ‘accepted’ age of retirement (1). Indeed, the age for eligibility for the Aged Pension in Australia was 65 years but increased to 65.5 years in 2017 and is intended to increase by six months every two years to 67 years (2). This suggests that our government believes that we should continue actively contributing to the workforce.
The term ‘old-old’ is now used to describe people aged 80+ as often the final years of life are accompanied by the illness, disability and frailty we typically associate with the term ‘elderly’. Personally, I prefer the term elder. It can refer to any older person, regardless of age, and it confers wisdom and experience. It also demands respect.
In Australia, there are over 2,700 aged care homes providing 185,482 beds. During the 2015-2016 financial year 234,931 elders lived in this setting. As the population of Australia ages and the age profile changes, this number is projected to rise.
The average length of stay is 2.8 years and for the vast majority (91%) of older adults living in an age care home, it will be the last home they reside in. I read one article recently that referred to aged care homes as ‘God’s waiting room’, a place where we store old people while they are waiting to die (3).
Paints a pretty grim picture, doesn’t it? Imagine being stuck in your doctor’s waiting room for the last few years of your life. Or worse, the waiting room of any government agency *shudder* such as Centrelink. I think our elders deserve better.
What if, rather than a dull, drab waiting room, our elders' days were filled with activities they wanted to participate in and served food they actually enjoyed eating? What if life in an aged care home was designed to make the last few years an enjoyable transition? A fantastic 'So long and thanks for all the fish' celebration of life (4).
Sadly, there are aspects about institutionalised care that I can’t change. Luckily, the one thing I can address (the food) is something that can have a huge impact on resident enjoyment and quality of life. Have I mentioned that food service dietitians are superheroes in disguise?
(1) Ansah, John P. et al. “Projection of Young-Old and Old-Old with Functional Disability: Does Accounting for the Changing Educational Composition of the Elderly Population Make a Difference?” Ed. Giuseppe Sergi. PLoS ONE 10.5 (2015): e0126471. PMC. Web. 27 Apr. 2018.
(2) https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/age-pension
(3) https://theconversation.com/gods-waiting-room-life-needs-to-be-valued-in-nursing-homes-59980
(4) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_Long,_and_Thanks_for_All_the_Fish
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