Elerly

List Inequities experienced by your group

What Inequalities do this inequities lead to?

-Low socio economic status due to leaving the workforce.

-Increased dependency on others: Unable to live by themselves

-High rates of sickness due to aging population

- Increased use of health resources and services: 

high rate of hospitalisation (make up >50% in hospital on any given night, despite only comprising 14% of the population)

-Lack of transport options due to no longer being able to drive a car and/or poor mobility

-High level of disabilities

-Increase loneliness & sense of isolation

Leading causes of death among both older males and females

-Coronary heart disease

-Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke)

-Heart failure

-Lung cancer, Colorectal cancer and prostate cancer and breast cancer were two prominent sex-specific causes of death.

-‘Dementia and Alzheimer disease’: females are more likely than males to develop and subsequently die from them (due to Higher LE)

(Dementia involves significant loss of intellectual abilities such as memory capacity)

-Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes emphysema

-Diabetes.

Disability. (Increasing with aging population) >50% aged 65 years+ in that year experienced some type of disability.

Health conditions most common

-long-sightedness

-deafness

-circulatory & hypertensive disease (high blood pressure or related conditions)

-short-sighted

-Musculoskeletal conditions, such as arthritis (Arthritis is a group of condition causing damage to the joints, resulting in pain and stiffness.)

-Endocrine diseases such as diabetes and thyroid problems

-Falls= fractures (Osteoporosis)

-Grief and loss reactions, depression and anxiety.

DETERMINANTS: A determinant is a factor that can have an impact on a person’s or group’s health status, either positively or negatively.

Sociocultural determinants of health include family, peers, media, religion and culture.

Living alone and loneliness. Common for partners and friends to pass away.

Socioeconomic determinants of health include employment, housing, education and income

Fewer financial resources to access medical services & limits lifestyle choices, increased reliability on nursing home or elderly housing estates, retirement from workforce, increased reliance on pension

Environmental determinants of health include geographic location, and access to health services and technology

Increased waiting times for admission into hospitals and the quality of the care received, increased social isolation and limited independence due to lack of transport.

Roles in addressing the health inequities

Individuals

-EMPOWERMENT

-Develop personal skills on HEALTHY AGING

-Healthy Diet (ensure calcium in diet to prevent osteoporosis, adequate fruit and vegetables)

-Not smoke (lung cancer)

-Be involved in activities to prevent loneliness e.g. church groups, retired friends

-Exercise regularly to prevent diabetes, CVD, arthritis

-Be involved in the community such as volunteer work e.g. Vinnie’s, primary schools.

-Keep the brain active e.g. Sudoku, crosswords

-Get regular check-ups & access available services

Communities

• Identify & implement community priorities
• Advocating for increased services e.g. aged care
• Offer meals on Wheels on meals
• Salvation Army: Provide Residential aged care & High quality aged care services in our community, i.e. Self-care units, hostels, Nursing homes, Respite care.

They also run:

-exercise programs such as gentle exercise

-recreational activities (senior social groups) such as indoor bowls

-educational activities such as art and craft classes

-creativity therapy groups such as music and aromatherapy community activities

Governments

-Provide support and assistance through health promotion initiatives e.g. cancer screening initiatives

- Provide funding through the Pension provided if you are of the age of 67, have an illness or disability or if you are entitled to both they may receive two pensions www.centrelink.gov.au 

-The ACAT (Aged Care Assessment team) assess the level of care a person might need, provide information about local facilities, and arrange for elderly to be cared for e.g. home nurses.
-Councils have explored and implemented planning changes that permit the development of accommodation specifically for over 55’s. This aims to provide adequate and suitable accommodation for this growing age group.

-www.seniors.gov.au this is an Australian government organisation that offers the elderly services from home care, financial planning, health requirements, work, lifestyle, and provide events for the older community.

-Anglicare is an agency that works in combination with community organisations for residential and community aged care

-Beyond blue is a non-government organisation program that addresses mental health issues, and various programs helping people with depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders. For elder people it focuses on helping those with depression.

-The Benevolent Society helps with housekeeping, nursing, housing, dementia, abuse victims and mental health care.

-Seniors Card is a FREE discount card providing members with access to NSW Government transport concessions, travel and business discounts

-HOME CARE offer a range of other innovative care options, including respite care and transitional care services. BCS has earned a reputation across Australia as a leader in dementia care. Aged care services come to the persons home

-www.fahcsia.gov.au FAHCSIA helps to support seniors through programs and services such as retirement planning and helping seniors that are working past the pension age. Also they help out by offering different kinds of pensions, allowances, self-fund retirees, concessions, bonuses, grants and funding