Aging issues: nursing imperatives for healthcare reform

The people of the United States sent a clear message in November 2008 that they wanted a change in the nation's priorities, including healthcare. The question is whether healthcare reform will extend to the care of older adults, especially in the face of complex needs in the last years of their lives. This article addresses this question by examining the demographics of the older adult population, the eldercare workforce, and the current inadequate patchwork of financing. Some aging issues, such as chronic care, are being addressed in the broad context of healthcare reform, whereas health information technology and others remain marginal. The window of opportunity for a clear and coherent voice in a reformed/reshaped healthcare system is narrow. Now is the time for the "trusted" profession to advocate for meaningful change that will meet the current and future needs of older adults. The article concludes with strategies and Web-based resources for nurses to bring aging issues to the healthcare reform debate at both the national and local levels.