It was a sea of red on Tuesday, when over 300 seniors in red AARP t-shirts gathered to watch the Louisiana Senate committee approve changes to a law that will make it easier to report elder abuse. Following the approval, they rallied for a nonbinding agreement with the state government requesting more care options for the elderly.
State Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levine emphasized the importance of establishing strong options for the elderly, especially as the older demographic continues to expand. He told the crowd that an estimated 78 million Americans are moving into the older age bracket, therefore the time has come to find cost-effective solutions. In Louisiana, there are only 8 assisted living beds per 1000 adults over age 65 and the state has more than 20,000 individuals on waiting lists for Medicaid-funded home and community based services.
Across the country, we are seeing an increased demand for elderly care. Health care and equipment are too expensive to be kept at home, so more and more older adults are attempting to enter institutions. In Louisiana, the active role of elders has encouraged policymakers to take action; hopefully, we will see this trend will spread across the country.