Industry Trends Point to Unprecedented Opportunities

The U.S. Department of Labor recently named home health care services one of the fastest growing sectors of the U.S. economy resulting in an increasing focus on private duty home care - medical and non-medical services not covered by Medicare or Medicaid. While the demand for private duty care is driven mostly by senior citizens, recipients include the disabled and those recovering from illness or injury and span all age groups. According to the Congressional Budget Office, of the $135 billion in the U.S. spent on long-term care for senior citizens, $45 billion was paid directly by consumers.

Significant growth is expected for the private duty home care industry due to the more than 34 million people in the U.S. who are 65 years or older and the anticipated increase of this senior age group's population to include more than 70 million by 2030. As the baby boomer generation ages, the demand for home care services is expected to increase by 50 percent between 2002 and 2012 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The aging explosion will have a far-reaching impact on families and society and most likely increase the need for senior care provided by Interim HealthCare franchisees. In Census 2000, some 14 million seniors 65 and older reported some level of disability, most of it related to chronic health conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, arthritis or respiratory disorders. About 80 percent of seniors have at least one chronic health condition, and 50 percent have at least two. Changes in family structure, specifically more divorce, fewer children and more stepchildren, may mean less family support for this older segment of the population. The senior care services provided by home care companies are going to be needed more than ever to help keep people out of more costly facilities such as nursing homes.

Click here for more information from the National Private Duty Association.