The Elderly as a Vulnerable Population Essay

A vulnerable population refers to a group of people who are at a higher risk of experiencing health problems. The chances are brought about by the nature of physical environment as well as the social and emotional exposure. Vulnerable people are the ones who suffer the most in case there is low-quality health care. Elderly patients can be classified as being vulnerable due to the physiological impairments as well as a weakened immune system which is evidenced by contraction of diseases and symptoms now and then.

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The term elderly refers to citizens with an age of over 65 years. This demographic group is often subjected to false misconceptions when it comes to their health. As much as age is associated with reduced health, this is not a reason for the elderly to experience minor satisfaction in life. Instead, the kind of care they receive should encourage them to enjoy their lives. The population chosen is often at risk of either death or a decline regarding the physical abilities either due to illness or injury. Senior citizens account for 12.4% of the US population based on the census of 2000. This translates to around 35 million people falling under the classification of being elderly (Suzman & Beard, 2011). According to the World Health Organization report of 2010, there was a total population of 524 million older people globally. With advanced healthcare, this figure is expected to rise to 1.5 billion by 2050.

In the USA, the average number of years a person lives after retirement is 17.6. The most common issues associated with age include chronic diseases, social exclusion, nutritional complications, and reduced patient mobility. Most people at this age are left alone mainly due to their children moving to start their own families or focusing on building their careers. The reported causes of injuries among the elderly include falls, burns, car accidents and abuse. It is possible to infer that most of these could be avoidable if there were someone to care for them for the most part of the day. When it comes to medical practice, the elderly are often exposed to challenges due to the notion that as one becomes older, he gets weak. Doctors are often reluctant to perform specific medical procedures due to the age of a patient. The healthcare for the vulnerable elderly therefore needs to be tailored to ensure a high level of quality is present.

The senior citizens require more frequent health care services because their immune system is not as capable as that of a youth. Contrary to the descriptions of the elderly, the young population can be attributed to using features such as stamina, ultimate well, being and virility. It is therefore not fair to treat the two demographics similarly. Based on research, there is generally, a lack of appreciation for the elderly in the United States as well as other regions of the world. As much as friends and family believe that placing them in health care homes is the best they can do, this is a lie. The vulnerable need to be with people they trust and can depend on. This action is therefore unjustified and should not be the first resort. The primary determinant of the health of the aging is their happiness. A happy individual will record fewer illnesses and thus live a longer life.

The challenges faced by the elderly while seeking treatment are mainly based on quality issues. In the US, reports indicate that senior citizens receive less than half of the quality of healthcare they are entitled to. Preventive care has been determined to be the one who is experiencing the lowest quality. This may be because the healthcare providers have the monotony of only diagnosing and offering treatment for conditions. With the elderly, the doctors and nurses fail to focus on anticipating conditions being developed and hence provide preventive remedies.

Geriatric conditions are described as those that affect specific adults as opposed to the common illnesses for people in the specified age bracket. For instance, injuries may affect an elderly patient based on the responsibilities and work he/she is involved daily. Examples of geriatric conditions are falls and burns. For such circumstances, it is essential to understand that an elderly patient requires more time and patience for full recuperation. Aside from providing the medical expertise, the healthcare professionals have a task of educating both the elderly and the people around them on post-discharge care. This step requires mastery of evidence-based practice and will result in significant results as a patient recovers. The assistive personnel must have qualified by understanding that patient satisfaction is a priority.

Chronic factors such as hypertension have been established to gain higher prevalence based on age. Due to this knowledge, the statistics indicate that elderly patients receive better care for chronic diseases as opposed to those suffering from geriatric conditions. This observation is based on the focus of the health sector which has attracted better funding because they are unavoidable by most of the elderly. The advancements in technology also aid a lot in the monitoring of patients with chronic conditions.

One of the most significant challenges faced by elderly population is the failure to prescribe appropriate medication and procedures. This tendency is based on the stereotypes that beyond a certain age, the physical and mental medical issues cannot be treated in the same way as people of lesser age. It is often that medical practitioners refuse to perform even minor surgery on senior citizens without first assessing the candidacy of a patient. If a patient qualifies for surgery and that is the best option for better living, then it is his/her right to be attended to no matter the age. For the case of countries like France, their senior citizens live for an average of 24 years after reaching retirement age (World Health Organization, 2015). This accomplishment is based on the quality of healthcare provided. Other countries including the United States should emulate this.

Old age is often associated with misery, loneliness, and poor health as one approaches the final years on earth before death. Through education, it is possible to provide professional development strategies for the practitioners in the health sector to provide a sustainable, healthy living. For the World Health Organization's prediction of having 1.5 billion people aged 65 years and above by 2050, then more resources need to be allocated. It is essential to understand that if older adults live a fulfilling life without frequent health complications, then they can no longer be a huge bother to family and friends around them. This declaration does not imply that the elderly will no longer be at risk of getting ill, after all, they are a vulnerable population, and health complications are normal. The culture of communities should also be willing to accommodate and appreciate the elderly because their numbers are expected to double by the year 2030.

References

Suzman, R., & Beard, J. (2011). Global health and aging. US Department of State, 1-32.

World Health Organization. (2015). World report on aging and health. World Health Organization.