Hoag Expands Services for Booming Senior Population

Dr. Joomoo Yang and Dr. Michael Haga, members of Hoag Medical Group that will bring the Hoag experience to patients and ease their way to receive the support and medical attention they need to effectively manage long-term needs. (Courtesy of Hoag Hospital Presbyterian)

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—In response to increasing demand in Orange County from a rising population of seniors wishing to receive care in their own homes, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has launched Hoag at Home.

“We want patients to have the same quality, compassionate experience that they receive if they visit their doctor’s office, have an outpatient care experience at one of our health centers, or a hospital visit at Hoag,” Jeff Hammond, executive director of Hoag at Home, said in a press release.

In its 2020 report on older Americans, the National Institute on Aging predicted that last year, about one-in-six Americans were age 65 and over. By 2030, that number is projected to rise to one-in-five.

Those figures represent a significant anticipated increase in the number of older Americans, from 56 million in 2020 to 73 million in 2030.

Locally, the Orange County Strategic Plan for Aging said adults aged 65 and older account for 14.3 percent of the county’s population, representing about 450,000 of the nearly 3.2 million Orange County residents.

By 2045, that number is projected to increase to 17.3 percent.

The strategic plan said that as more adults reach retirement, they will face new challenges when it comes to economic, social, health, and lifestyle issues associated with aging, and that currently, Orange County is not prepared to provide adequate support and care to meet seniors’ growing needs unless more of the necessary services are administered at or from home.

And, as the aging population continues to increase, all other age groups in the county are decreasing, leaving an age gap for an industry with rapidly mounting demands.

Home Care Demand on the Rise 

“People are living and staying active longer,” Hoag chief executive and President Robert T. Braithwaite said in a statement. “Today, we have more ways to allow people to age in place, at home through extending the world-class care we deliver at Hoag Hospital, physician’s offices and health centers at a patient’s place of residence.”

Braithwaite said that the key to providing trusted healthy-aging solutions lies in providing quality, affordable health care by better anticipating the needs of aging clients through incorporating prevention techniques, diagnostics, treatment, and recovery services at home.

Specialists Dr. Joomoo Yang and Dr. Michael Haga will spearhead the Hoag at Home programs.

The program includes home health services, hospice and visiting physician services to all of Orange County through a team of experienced “residentialists” and palliative care physicians.

Services include skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language therapy, medical social services, hospice nursing, pastoral care, bereavement support, and more.

Services provided can be for short, long-term or on-going medical care as needs change.

Health professionals said they have found that patients often recover faster from injury or surgery when they are able to recover at home assisted by family, friends and the comfort of familiar surroundings.