A Silver Tsunami hits Carlsbad!
Have you heard of the Silver Tsunami? I hadn’t either, until recently. It has become a common expression used to describe the unprecedented increase in the number of older people in the world. According to AARP, 10,000 people turn 65 every day, and this is just in the United States. By 2050, AARP predicts that older adults will represent 20 percent of the population. That is quite an explosion. I’m not sure it is fair to label it a tsunami, but the alliteration sure is fun (technically, a tsunami is a large wave that results in vast destruction and mass casualties – not a very flattering way to label the growth in our aging population). In November 2023 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the average life expectancy in 2022 rose by more than a year to 77.5 years. That was up 1.1 years from 2021. We have almost totally recovered to the record-breaking life expectancy ages that we had reached before Covid-19 hit the scene in 2020.
Whether or not these statistics are news to you, they are certainly not news to our 2023 CBAD Community Impact winner – Senior Care Options. Cathy and Mike Ellis started Senior Care Options in May 2014 after Cathy had spent 30 years in the senior care facility business. Cathy had worked for 11 different senior care facilities during that career. And the one thing that she found that drove her to start Senior Care Options was, “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to senior living.” Cathy sees herself primarily as a resource to seniors and family members trying to navigate this complex world. She regularly hosts workshops that help explain the difference between independent living, assisted living, memory care, room sharing, in-home care, and more.
Carlsbad is blessed with a plethora of senior living options. There are literally hundreds of senior living and care options in our geographical area. And some of the amenities available at these facilities are eye-popping. However, as Cathy states, “Not everyone can afford expensive senior living options.”
One benefit to working with Senior Care Options, however, is the confidence you can have in their recommendations. If Cathy and her team recommend a facility for you, they have completely vetted it. At Senior Care Options, they have a strict policy to thoroughly tour and interview each home or facility that they might refer to their clients. They also review state regulatory agency status and potential issues. Cathy shared that, “Many properties do not pass our scrutiny and are not considered viable alternatives.” As part of their process, they consider management strength, staffing levels, caring philosophy and demeanor, training, physical and medical capabilities, pleasing and functional environment, licensing, and any known issues.
Each family and senior have a unique set of needs. At Senior Care Options they explore these needs in detailed meetings. These meetings help discover all medical, physical, lifestyle, family, location and financial realities. Then they make their referral recommendations.
Cathy’s passion for seniors is infectious. She has won numerous industry awards. And, in addition to Senior Care Options winning our CBAD Community Impact Award, Cathy was also just named the Carlsbad Chamber “Go Giver” for 2023. Thanks for all you do in the community and at the Chamber Cathy! Carlsbad is blessed to have you here making an impact.