Healthcare Challenges in America - Assignment Example

? HEALTH CARE HEALTH CARE Please discuss the challenges that aging Americans and at thesame time, the nation as a whole, are facing. There are numerous issues that the elderly Americans and moreover the nation is facing. Firstly one of the most prominent reasons is pollution. Pollution has merely damaged the health of adults as well as youngster developing respiration issues in them. Secondly the increase in the population rate and the constant increase of the immigrants have caused insufficiency and lack of adequate facilities. It has been approximated that the rate of elderly people is increasing which has outnumbered the rate of children due to the increase in infertility. Life expectancy has increased the death rate. In the 21st century the increase in noncommunicable diseases are burdening the American health. 2. What are the key health issues afflicting persons 85 and older? There are many issues that are affecting the health of individuals that exceed the age of 85. When individuals reach the age of 85 we see a decline in their physical and emotional health. We see that disabilities start to develop, which include loss of appetite, loss of vision, teeth and other useful organs. Increase in cardiac and respiratory diseases. There are also mental health issues that are affiliated with old age. Hence some of the issues are Alzheimer's, increase in anxiety, depression and suicide, behavioral health, abuse of substance and chronic diseases. (Mental and Behavioral Health and Older Americans.) These issues arise because of several reasons like isolation, setbacks etc. 3. Why is being independent and self-sufficient in American society problematic for older persons? Since the trend of being independent or self-sufficient has increased in American society, it has caused immense problems for the elderly. At an age when they require the attention of their loved ones they are usually at the mercy of old age shelters or victims of isolation. They do not have appropriate access to the services to aid in their old age. Since they are alone and at times helpless therefore they do not easy access to finance. Increase in independence and rupturing of family ties has caused issues of accommodation for elderly people. 4. Please discuss the factors contributing to the development of the long-term care system. There are numerous factor associated with the propagation of the long-term care system. Initially there are some drawbacks that are prevailing with the present system that needs to be countered like inadequate facilities and not being able to cater to the entire population enrolled."Several factors have contributed to the slow growth of managed long-term care, including complex program design choices relatively long planning and start-up periods, resistance of long-term care providers and advocates, difficult state-federal policy issues, the need for a substantial population base, limited interest among potential suppliers, and inadequate state infrastructure in an era of government downsizing."(The Past, Present and Future of Managed Long-Term Care)Further there is future and requirement of this service and will grow in the future. The outcome of their efforts is merely positive in community service. And there is a need of increase in budget to cater to the masses. 5. What is assisted living, and how does it differ from nursing facility care? How is assisted living financed? Basically assisted living is the act of providing help to the people who face any sort of disability. They are provided with the assistance they need to perform their everyday activities and healthcare facilities. (Zimmerman, 2001) It differs from nursing facilities as it avoids the need to go to a nursing house and services are provided at home. Assisted living is self-financed and can be quite expensive at times. 6. How are each of the community-based services financed? Usually the community based services are funded by the state in order to maintain the sustainable environment and provide facilities to its natives. Further the role of veterans is very crucial as well and they also aid in programs that deal with community service. 7. What does the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 do for consumers? What does it require for providers? The Patients self-determination act of 1990 allows the consumers to have the essential information and take permission; they should have information about the facilities and also the state laws that have an effect on the health care services. Further the requirement for providers is to give the important information to the consumers under any circumstances. 8. What is spending down? What other options have been proposed to deal with this problem? Spending down in terms of medicine is when an individual cannot afford to fulfill his everyday requirements and hence they are not able to manage their medical expense. It has been proposed that those individuals who are facing this spend down can take "Medicaid" to provide them the facilities they require. 9. Female elderly tend to outlive male elderly. The gender gap in life expectancy widens even further as the elderly age. What are the implications of this trend in terms of programs and services for the very elderly? It is quite clear the women live mire than men, when these women reach the elderly age many services are provided to them in America. For instance the Medicaid program provides them with medical services free of cost. The shelter homes provide them a roof and pensions and various other funds are also provided to ensure their sustainable living for elderly citizens. 10. Read California Health Care Almanac: Long-term Care Facts and Figures and summarize your findings, focusing on California. The California Health Care Almanac: Long-term Care Facts and Figure is a program that provides health care insurance to the masses living in California irrespective of what age or social sector one belongs.This program is responsible for providing basic, secondary or long term medical facilities to the one in need. This program provides an outlook of how health care insurance are financed and work out in the state of California. The major issue that arises with the propagation of this service is that a small amount of people seek to enroll because of fewer incentives and shortage of funds. (California HealthCare Foundation) References: Mental and Behavioral Health and Older Americans. (n.d.). American Psychological Association (APA). Retrieved June 26, 2013, from http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/aging/mental-health.aspx 1990s, t. e., & acute, m. c. (n.d.). The Past, Present and Future of Managed Long-Term Care. ASPE. Retrieved June 26, 2013, from http://aspe.hhs.gov/daltcp/reports/mltc.html Power, A., & Lord, J. E. (2012). Active citizenship and disability implementing the personalisation of support. New York: Cambridge University Press. Zimmerman, S., Sloane, P. D., & Eckert, J. K. (2001). Assisted living needs, practices, and policies in residential care for the elderly. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. Medi-Cal Facts and Figures: A Program Transforms - CHCF.org. (n.d.). California HealthCare Foundation -- Supporting Ideas and Innovations to Improve Health Care for All Californians. Retrieved June 26, 2013, from http://www.chcf.org/publications/2013/05/medical-facts-figures Read More