Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology More Changing Healthcare... You all must agree with me that, as society, we get older. Baby boomers continue to their retirement age, but do not give up on full living. That is great news. With newer technology and medications, people in their 70s and 80s continue travelling, enjoying their families and friends, and simply living to the fullest. That is true when and if they are healthy and strong. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky. And that luck may not stay forever. Sooner or later, our older folks end up dependent on their families and/or nursing homes. Various kinds of nursing care have been growing rapidly for the last ten years. Assisting living, nursing homes, and memory living are the names of the most frequent facilities where many of our older patients transfer after they are unable to care for themselves and their homes. We as a practice have some good relationships with some of the facilities as we continue our long-time commitment and visit them to deliver their skin care procedures in their new facilities. We can comment on the first- hand impressions and details of how they live and how their new homes look like. We want to share with you some of our comments to prompt some deeper reflection on what might become your home at some point in the future. We see some really nice-looking facilities: large individual rooms with bathrooms, clean halls and dining rooms, libraries, TV rooms, spacious visiting rooms, lots of assistance equipment, and more. We also can say that 90% of the staff are people not speaking English as their first language. They are immigrants from all over the world. They are extremely polite and pleasant, very hard working and helpful. There are also not enough of them. The floors, depending on facility, may require 8 of the personnel and we see perhaps 3 or 4. This means that those working do the jobs of two people. They do not make a ton of money. And let me tell you, working with older folks is not always easy. I do not know of any medical assistants or CNAs who would determine that the nursing home is their first choice of work after school. And I am being very delicate in my expressions. The bottom line is that we need more people who can work in those places and the needs will only grow. I wonder where we will find them. Another thought for your reflection is the fact that huge majority of nursing care places are owned by private equity companies. Again, a reminder, PEs are not medical specialists in any care; they are financial companies focused on profit alone. They sell their companies every few years and often 'save' money by limiting personnel while driving costs up. Today's nursing homes cost a fortune. Retirees must give up their pensions and Social Security income and often it is not enough to secure a quality place. Elderly care is very, very costly. I agree with the fact that quality should drive the cost, but there should be some limits. If the personnel are already in shortage and most of the working staff are immigrants, what will happen to the nursing facilities in a year or two, when we will not have immigrants and we will drive the cost even higher? Is there any plan? This is a part of geriatric healthcare that nobody wants to discuss. What do you think? Share your comments with us. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight presented by Arlington Dermatology More Changing Healthcare ... You all must agree with me that , as society , we get older . Baby boomers continue to their retirement age , but do not give up on full living . That is great news . With newer technology and medications , people in their 70s and 80s continue travelling , enjoying their families and friends , and simply living to the fullest . That is true when and if they are healthy and strong . Unfortunately , not everyone is so lucky . And that luck may not stay forever . Sooner or later , our older folks end up dependent on their families and / or nursing homes . Various kinds of nursing care have been growing rapidly for the last ten years . Assisting living , nursing homes , and memory living are the names of the most frequent facilities where many of our older patients transfer after they are unable to care for themselves and their homes . We as a practice have some good relationships with some of the facilities as we continue our long - time commitment and visit them to deliver their skin care procedures in their new facilities . We can comment on the first- hand impressions and details of how they live and how their new homes look like . We want to share with you some of our comments to prompt some deeper reflection on what might become your home at some point in the future . We see some really nice - looking facilities : large individual rooms with bathrooms , clean halls and dining rooms , libraries , TV rooms , spacious visiting rooms , lots of assistance equipment , and more . We also can say that 90 % of the staff are people not speaking English as their first language . They are immigrants from all over the world . They are extremely polite and pleasant , very hard working and helpful . There are also not enough of them . The floors , depending on facility , may require 8 of the personnel and we see perhaps 3 or 4. This means that those working do the jobs of two people . They do not make a ton of money . And let me tell you , working with older folks is not always easy . I do not know of any medical assistants or CNAs who would determine that the nursing home is their first choice of work after school . And I am being very delicate in my expressions . The bottom line is that we need more people who can work in those places and the needs will only grow . I wonder where we will find them . Another thought for your reflection is the fact that huge majority of nursing care places are owned by private equity companies . Again , a reminder , PEs are not medical specialists in any care ; they are financial companies focused on profit alone . They sell their companies every few years and often ' save ' money by limiting personnel while driving costs up . Today's nursing homes cost a fortune . Retirees must give up their pensions and Social Security income and often it is not enough to secure a quality place . Elderly care is very , very costly . I agree with the fact that quality should drive the cost , but there should be some limits . If the personnel are already in shortage and most of the working staff are immigrants , what will happen to the nursing facilities in a year or two , when we will not have immigrants and we will drive the cost even higher ? Is there any plan ? This is a part of geriatric healthcare that nobody wants to discuss . What do you think ? Share your comments with us . Michael Bukhalo , MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows , IL 60008 Tel . 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net