The number of Americans age 65 and older is projected to almost double to about 84 million in the next few decades. Many will develop chronic health conditions that require help with tasks of daily living, an expensive prospect for many families and for state and federal government health care programs.
Typically nurses haven’t played a key role with tasks of daily living, such as helping people get dressed and bathed. It’s been care that has been largely provided by family members and health aides. But with so many people aging, nurses could play a key role in helping people remain healthy as they age, and if they do develop chronic conditions, by helping with medication management, better eating habits, exercise and social connections.
In this in-depth policy brief written for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, I look at the roles nurses have been taking, what more they can do and policy actions that nurses would like to see enacted. See the brief here.
