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Nationally, home health care
services are projected to be
the fastest growing industry
in the country over the next
decade. This trend can be
attributed to an aging
population and the choice
for home-based care instead
of institutional care.
Census Bureau projections
for Pennsylvania's
population reveal that a
significant change in those
65 and older is expected.
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Currently, Pennsylvania
has 1.91 million (15.4
percent of the
population) residents
age 65 and older. By
2020, this number is
expected to increase to
2.13 million (17.2
percent); and by 2030,
will jump dramatically
to 2.8 million elders
(22.6 percent of the
population).
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Nationally, age 85 and
above is the fastest
growing segment of the
population, with a
projected increase
nationally from 4.6
million (2002) to 9.6
million (2030). In
Pennsylvania, this group
will increase from about
200,000 to about 410,000
over the same time span.
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With this change in the
population, the number
of people with chronic
medical conditions in
the U.S. is expected to
double from 80 million
in 2000 to 160 million
in 2030. Pennsylvania
alone will show an
increase from 2.35
million to approximately
4.72 million people with
chronic medical
conditions.
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These projections do not
account for the apparent
declining health and
fitness of Americans.
For example, 50 percent
of Americans in the
55-64 age groups
currently have high
blood pressure and two
in five are obese.
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Using this projected
information on declining
health and fitness, the
rate of homecare use in
Pennsylvania is
predicted to increase to
2.06 million clients by
2030, up from 750,000 in
2005.
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During 2005, in
Pennsylvania, homecare
providers helped 750,000
people. Approximately
465,000 were cared for
by certified home health
agencies, 225,000
received supportive care
from private duty
agencies and 60,000
individuals received
end-of-life care from a
hospice.
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During any particular
week in Pennsylvania,
approximately 190,000
clients receive
in-home-care. This
number of patients
exceeds the total number
of beds in all the
hospitals and nursing
homes in Pennsylvania
combined.
The Thorne Group
Earns Recognition For
Quality Care
Founded in 1995 and based in
Greensburg, PA, The Thorne
Group is a state licensed
and Medicare certified home
health agency that provides
compassionate and
comprehensive services to
patients in Southwestern
Pennsylvania. The Thorne
Group was ranked in the TOP
100 home health agencies in
the United States and in the
TOP 5 in the state of
Pennsylvania by an
independent company based on
quality of care, quality
improvement, and financial
performance.
Medicare
provided the data to compile
the ranking. There are 7,000
skilled service agencies in
the nation and almost 350 in
Pennsylvania. The agency
employs a large professional
staff supervised by a nurse
administrator. More than 100
aides, nurses, and
therapists provide a variety
of home health services.
Over 1,000 patients receive
care from the Thorne Group
every year and the number is
growing.
The
Thorne Group’s mission is to
assist the patient in
attaining the optimal level
of physical, psychological,
social, and vocational
well-being. The agency can
be reached at 724.832.3549
or visit
www.thethornegroup.com for a
full description of
services.
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