'Silver tsunami': Jacksonville-based Florida Blue tailors health care to age 50 and up

Among the aging population, is 50 the new 65?

Florida Blue has opened a new medical center in Jacksonville at 9400 Atlantic Blvd. created exclusively for the health and wellness needs of patients age 50 and older — the health insurance company's first. In partnership with Sanitas Medical Center, the clinic targets the population that will turn 65 by 2040 when that Medicare-eligible age group will total about 80.8 million, about 22% of the U.S. population, according to the National Council on Aging.

As they age, they will develop different health care needs. The Florida Blue-Sanitas concept is to give them individualized and preventive care.

"This ‘silver tsunami’ or ‘silver wave’ will make a significant impact on the health care system," said Dr. Elana Schrader, senior vice president of Florida Blue health care services and president of sister company GuideWell Health. "One of the many ways we are preparing to meet the needs of our community members aging into Medicare is by creating innovative primary care experiences personalized for the unique physical, mental and social needs of adults 50 and older. With this model our members get care tailored for adults as they age into Medicare."

What is tailored care?

Tailored care means individualized plans, including health care as well as social and community referrals and educational programs; pain support services, with a combination of massage therapy and physical exercises; mental health services and an on-site wellness activity center with yoga, Zumba, arts and crafts, entertainment and cooking classes, among other things.

Such wellness activities are all about "nurturing mind, body and soul, while helping reduce social isolation and loneliness," Schrader said.

Comprehensive care is treating the whole person, not just a condition or an injury, she said.

"The care is high touch, which means the member is supported every step of the way, getting to know their individual needs so we can coordinate care and wellness activities," Schrader said. "We put everything that adults and seniors need to support their health and well-being in one convenient location, including pharmacy, diagnostics and testing."

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Patients get appointments quickly, normally the same day, with less waiting time than typical clinics. Patients who have insurance through Florida Blue, Florida Blue-Blue Medicare, Florida Blue myBlue, Blue Cross Blue Shield, GuideWell Simplifi and original Medicare are accepted, as well as those who self-pay.

What health needs change at age 50?

Immune systems get slower, bones and joints may get weaker, muscle loss may occur at a faster rate, hearing and memory may decline, blood vessels and arteries thicken. Chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes may worsen.

But there are many ways to address these changes, from maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including physical activity and getting enough sleep, to adding calcium and Vitamin D supplements and staying mentally active, according to the Mayo Clinic.

How long will the 'silver tsunami' continue?

Currently, Florida has 4.9 million Medicare-eligible adults. By 2060 the number of U.S. residents age 65 and older is projected to double from 46 million to more than 98 million, "the first time in history that the number of older adults will outnumber children under age 5," according to Schrader.

So there may be more health care sites that cater to age 50 and up, although no more are in the planning stages.

"We are continually assessing the needs of our communities and members so we can increase access to affordable and high-quality health solutions," Schrader said.

But the need is there?

Yes, according to Elissa Barr, a public health professor of at the University of North Florida's Brooks College of Health.

"People are living longer but not necessarily healthier," she said.

Living longer can mean more stress, more anxiety and the need for more physical and mental health care. A health care site exclusively for that age group can prompt early identification and intervention, she said.

"I am really happy that Florida Blue is making an effort to support a younger aging population," Barr said. "That's a really great thing."

What is Sanitas?

Sanitas Medical Center is a multinational health business group that was founded in Colombia and expanded to the U.S. in 2014 through an alliance with GuideWell, a health solutions organization that includes Florida Blue.

Sanitas now has locations in six states, including 53 in Florida, the latest being the age 50+ clinic in Jacksonville. The company has about 10 sites that focus on senior care.

What is life expectancy in the U.S.

In 2023, U.S. life expectancy was 79.1 years, a 0.08% increase from 2022, according to Macrotrends.net.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a life expectancy of 77.5 years for 2022. That was an increase of 1.1 years from 2021 but 'did not fully offset the loss" of 2.4 years of life expectancy during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the CDC.

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But we're still doing far better than 100 years ago. In 1923, life expectancy for men was 56.1 and for women, 58.5, according to the University of California at Berkley.

Did you know?

A person 50 to 59 is called a quinquagenarian, according to Britannica. People age 60 to 69 are sexagenarians, 70 and 79 are septuagenarians and 80 to 89 octogenarians.

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Florida Blue opens medical center in Jacksonville for ages 50 and up