A Growing Need for Continuum of Care (Long Term Care) for Americans

Key Takeaways:

• The Continuum of Care (CoC) represents a person’s journey throughout healthcare, from wellness services to long-term care and everything in between.
• In-home health is a growing preference for long-term health access, and Americans spend around $475.1 billion annually for long-term care.[3]
• As cost pressures increase, supply chain issues and labor shortages in healthcare persist, providers across the CoC need strategies for product access and cost savings without compromising clinical quality.

Continuum of Care in America

In an era where healthcare is rapidly evolving, understanding the continuum of care is crucial for individuals and families alike. For long-term care in particular, the landscape is vast, encompassing a diverse array of services designed to meet the unique needs of patients requiring extended support.

At the heart of the continuum are 28,900 assisted living and residential care facilities, providing a residential option for individuals who need assistance with daily activities but wish to maintain a level of independence. Accompanying these are 15,600 nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities, offering specialized care for those with more complex medical needs.

Recognizing growing consumer preference for at-home care, the presence of 12,200 home health agencies becomes pivotal. Home healthcare allows individuals to receive tailored services in the comfort of their own residences, promoting a sense of familiarity and autonomy. Complementing this, 4,300 hospice agencies play a crucial role in offering compassionate end-of-life care, ensuring dignity and comfort for individuals and their families during challenging times.

A staggering 70 percent of adults aged 65 and older will require long-term care at some point in their lives, underscoring the widespread impact of these services. The number of adults over 60 requiring long-term care will more than triple in the Americas over the next three decades, from around 8 million people today to between 27 million and 30 million by 2050, access to critical medical supplies is essential, yet increasingly difficult with ongoing supply chain disruptions, pervasive product shortages and heightened geopolitical risk.

Americans collectively spend $475.1 billion annually on long-term care services. However, it’s crucial to note that Medicaid only covers 54 percent of the nation’s long-term care costs. This underscores the importance of planning and exploring various financial avenues to help ensure cost-effective, high-quality care.

In addition to a larger aging population in need of care, the average length of stay in long-term care facilities is 3.2 years, revealing the sustained nature of the support provided. Notably, over 20% of residents will require care for five years or longer, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and sustainable care solutions.

Supply Chain Impact on Long Term Care Facilities

A reliable and resilient supply chain is essential to quality of care for long-term facilities and their patients. Due to evolving global supply chain pressures, CoC facilities and networks must adapt and grow through the unpredictable. A reliable supply chain is essential for providing essential supplies that ultimately impact the ability to give quality care to patients, excellent training to new personnel, and keep physicians safe during treatment. Infection prevention and disease control is extremely important in LTC facilities, and a stable supply chain may help to ensure caregivers have ample access to protective PPE. A smooth supply chain also ensures timely access to technological solutions, aiding in the seamless adoption of electronic health records and other innovative tools. By being aware of supply chain trends and mitigating risks, facilities are able to monitor financial impacts more closely, and allow for proactive measures to reduce a negative financial impact long term.

S2S Global: A Potential Solution

S2S Global is a direct sourcing solution for many healthcare networks, providing a diverse supply chain for a number of critical PPE and clinical products such as exam gloves, masks, underpads, gowns, and flush syringes. Direct sourcing offers a more cost-effective model for supply chain solutions, offering frictionless means to obtain high quality supplies. The continuum of long-term care is a multifaceted system designed to address diverse needs across different stages of life. As we navigate the complexities of aging and healthcare, these statistics serve as guideposts, highlighting the importance of informed decision-making, proactive planning, and a collective commitment to enhancing the quality of care and supply chain resilience for our aging population.

Credit:

[1] https://www.aplaceformom.com/senior-living-data/articles/long-term-care-statistics

[2] https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10343

[3] https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/100-must-know-statistics-about-long-term-care-2023-edition

[4] https://www.paho.org/en/news/1-1-2019-number-older-adults-long-term-care-needs-will-triple-2050-paho-warns

[5] https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/what-lifetime-risk-needing-receiving-long-term-services-supports-0