Enabling Australian Aged Clients to Live Independently in the Community - Research Paper Example

? Enabling Australian Aged to Live Independently In the Community through Advanced Care Planning Aims: This paper aims to describe the scenario of Australian healthcare development along with the modern services rendered by the healthcare unit to the aged or older clients of Australia assuming that the developed services by healthcare unit will assist aged clients to live independently. Background: The background of this paper describes about the type of services by which Australian healthcare unit will be able to help aged clients to live independently. It also elaborates on the role played by the aged clients within the economy and the value of elder people’s experiences in various aspects such as organizational decision making and family-oriented developmental planning among others. Data Sources: The data collected for the purpose of this paper are fundamentally from secondary sources such as articles, journals, books, online publications and governmental reports among others. It is owing to the fact that the findings obtained from these sources shall substantiate the need of updated and reliable information regarding the healthcare policies and services rendered to the elderly population in Australia. Discussion: The discussion conducted in this paper attempts to develop an understanding in relation to the issue identified with reference to the theories and the views put forward by various authors. Based on these views, the discussion further elaborates on the critical analysis of the healthcare services rendered to the elderly population by the concerned organizations in Australia. Implications for Health/Discipline: The implications obtained from the discussion of this paper indicate that nursing training and development programs shall be needed to augment the efficiency level in Australian healthcare units. Furthermore, knowledge enhancement campaigns or rather the awareness campaigns can facilitate the elderly people to render greater significance towards their health issues and thus live their life independently. Conclusion: The concluding remarks presented in the paper depicts about the importance of the sources related to the research, education and findings among others. A few recommended strategies have also been discussed in this section which includes developing knowledge not only amid the elder population but also amid the younger populace from a long-term perspective. Summary Statement What is already known about this topic? The nursing practices and its importance along with the role of modern services in the healthcare units for serving the patients and aged clients Role played by aged clients within the community in developing, training and controlling the young generation with proper cultural norms; thus influencing the social structure What this paper adds? An explanation of the rising trends of aged clients in the Australian economy and its effects on the social inclinations An account of the modern facilities and policies adopted by healthcare units for serving the aged clients in order to make them live independently and influence them to serve the community well-being Implications for practice and/or policy Suitable policy should be adopted by the healthcare unit in order to serve the patients according to their requirements Suitable policy helps to build a good working environment for the doctors and the nurses along with avoiding the misunderstandings and conflicts existing within the social environment Introduction In many countries, aged people are often identified to be treated impatiently, disregarding their value of life and their contribution to the overall societal development. Hence, at times, the elderly population has to witness challenges in availing better facilities from the community as well as from personal belongings. In protecting the elderly population from these circumstances, government and social bodies can be identified to implement certain steps such as building of old-age homes and supplying the aged member present in the house with food and shelter along with a friendly environment. In this context, it can be observed that certain steps are being taken by almost every national along with international social institution not only towards the protection of aged people from health issues but also supporting them to cope up with the challenges of isolation and loneliness (Cattan, White, Bond, & Learmouth, 2005). Healthcare facilities are termed to be quite important for every person present in this world owing to its economic values to reward diminishing mortality rates as well as in terms of its social values to render a better and healthier living standard. However, it is more important for the aged people to gain better healthcare facilities, owing to the fact that after a certain age the immunity of human body tends to get weaker making the populace depended on the much stronger and enthusiastic younger generation. Health can be thus regarded as the most important interpreter of life by which aged people satisfy their life and age tenure. Factually, referring to the aged people suffering from various problems related to health, it becomes quite certain that they cannot live independently with the necessity to be nursed at regular intervals or continuously. Comparatively, the healthier aged people suffering with minimum health related problems are identified to lead a more contended and independent lifestyle (Lis, Reichert, Cosack, Billings, Brown, & Cosack, 2008). Based on these presumptions, aged clients of Australia will be considered in this paper to discuss the aspect of health promotion among the elderly population. The primary issue which will be described henceforth concentrates on enabling aged clients of Australia to live without depending on the community through advanced care planning. Background The issues related to healthcare have often been observed to affect directly or even indirectly at instances concerning every ethnic fundamentals of a country (Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2008). Consequentially, there are various issues which can fill the gap of the problem identified in this paper. For instance, long-term care is generally classified as the process in which individuals are observed and nursed for longer period to cure their health problems accommodating them in hospitals or even in their residences. Similar facilities are being increasingly rendered to the aged population in Australia allowing them with various legal and monetary concessions by the government and social bodies. Notably, these facilities are principally based on their requirements and the assumption that long-term care can support them to live a better life with the virtues of regular medical attention, residential amenities and other services (Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2008). However, in the current scenario of Australian community, it can be observed that the aged people are facing problems related to health and social independence by a certain extent (Aged & Community Services Australia, 2003). It has been repeatedly recommended by World Health Organization that proper attention concerning the health problems should be considered by the world economies, especially in relation to the elderly people emphasizing on the fact that the aged population captures a major proportion of around 600 million in the global scenario. Hence, to save and maintain the developing nature of the environment, communities should give greater importance to the requirements of the aged people and serve them with efficient healthcare facilities. With proper identification, the neglected and the needful aged people should be facilitated with good infrastructure, healthcare services and friendly environment so that they can live a healthier and longer life. These services are further expected to help the aged people to live life independently. Furthermore, another fundamental issue concerning the aspect is that the younger generation carries the genetic features of the aged generation. With this concern, it can be stated that if the aged or elder generation does not get any proper assistance related to a friendly environment and healthcare, there remains a probability that the next generations might also be affected by similar health issues in the later period of their life. As a result, it can turn as an ‘epidemic transition’ which can further affect the environment in a negative way (World Health Organization, 2004). Data Sources To evaluate the issue concerning the requirements to enable Australian aged clients to live independently in the community through ‘Advanced Care Planning’, the secondary data sources comprising mainly literatures and reports have been used in this study. The aim while incorporating the secondary data sources in the study has been to reveal highly reliable information which would facilitate a rational understanding towards the identified issue. The data which are collected for this paper has been considered to be recent, especially when considering the governmental reports, with the expectation that it will provide with updated approximation of information required for the research. This form of collecting data can be categorized as the inclusion process which indicates the continuous addition of data in the study along with its progression. In the similar context, the government reports which were published or saved prior to the recent five years will not be included based on the assumption that the data might not present updated information to support the problem of the research. This process of omitting data can be identified as the exclusion procedure. Another major criterion, considered for the selection of data sources indicated that all the data, those are to be considered in this research, should be published by authorized organizations and/or the Australian governmental bodies owing to their reliability when considering the healthcare facilities in the community. Discussion The recent socio-economic situation of Australia describes that approximately two and four percent of the total population is aged above 70 and 80 years respectively. This proportion is forecasted to further increase in future comprising almost 20% of population with 70 years of age and 10% of the population with 80 years of age, by 2051. After observing the forecasted ratio of the aged population, Australian government has initiated steps to support its aged mass population and therefore build a healthier socio-economic structure. The measures which have been adopted by the Australian government can be identified as related to income support, workforce, social inclusion, education and housing along with medical care services (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2008). In facilitating with effectual healthcare services to aged clients, Australian healthcare associations have been suggested to employ the primary requirements i.e. good nursing facilities in an effectual way by various analysts and social institutions. It is owing to the fact that nurses, act as the primary role players, towards taking care of the patient after doctor visits. However, it has often been identified that Australia is suffering from certain problems related to nursing profession in healthcare units. The problems of nursing are likely to lead towards improper services in healthcare units; thus, resulting in major flaws when rendering healthcare facilities to the elderly population who are generally termed to require extra medical attention (Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2010). With this concern, the government of Australia has taken certain steps towards its healthcare promotion strategies, especially concerning the elderly population (Allen Consulting Group, 2007). With regard to this context, it can be stated that elderly people should also adopt a few steps towards their health issues to make the overall process effective. Along with the community, the government should depict certain liabilities towards the elderly people who are observed to face problems related to finances and housing at many instances (Adrian, 2009). From a similar perspective, New Zealand’s Ministry of Health, was identified to implement a strategy in 2000 with relation to healthcare units concerning the well-being of the native people. The intension was to support elderly and helpless people with health concerning issues creating awareness in all the spheres of the society. These services were specified to be provided to the needy elderly people only through proper assistance from professional nurses and other trained healthcare service providers. Hence, greater emphasis was being rendered towards encouraging the nursing professions with the augmented demand for healthcare service providers in the economy (Annette, 2000). With reference to the context, it can be ascertained that this strategy is likely to be beneficial for the Australian government as well to instigate certain practicing changes in its national healthcare units facilitating the healthcare profession which can in turn prove supportive in satisfying the requirement of growing elderly population. It was further recommended by Prof. Desley Hegney that nurses play a vital role in healthcare units. However, the role presented by the nurses also depends upon the environment of the care unit. Certain facilities, such as organizational factors and policies among others are quite likely to motivate nurses to play an effective role within the healthcare unit rendering effective and efficient facilities to the patients. Contextually, it is worth mentioning that the friendly and supporting environment of any healthcare unit are formed by the participation of community, cultural norms along with governmental policies which in turn tends to augment the efficiency of nursing practices. However, as stated by Prof. Desley Hegney, the Australian healthcare system can be identified as lacking these terms (Bryce, 2008). Thus, it can be stated that in order to protect and keep hold of their economic and developing growth, Australia needs to render greater emphasis on these situations concerning the lacuna in the required number of nurses in primary healthcare units along with improper coordination amid the community and the care unit (Bryce, 2008). Roussel (2008) has further outlined the primary qualities that are required within nurses to play their roles effectively in healthcare units. Creating management skills and friendly environment within the healthcare premises can be further identified as a few of the suggested strategies by Roussel (2008) which are likely to ensure that nurses and doctors could interact with different aged patients properly and serve them according to their requirements. These facilities can also help the management of the respective healthcare unit to manage the working procedure smoothly, to build new innovative ideas and effectively use of the resources as well (Roussel, 2008). Thus, it can be stated that Australia should also consider the philosophy of nursing with greater significance for implementations while developing its healthcare unit, especially in order to serve the elderly people. This nature of development can assist Australian healthcare unit to serve elderly people with proper and sufficient number of nurses, friendly environment within the community enhancing their feel of independence and worthiness. Furthermore, Girarde (2009) explained various difficulties faced by primary healthcare units with relation to modernization of medical facilities and nursing profession simultaneously. From a realistic point of view, modernization can be regarded as a critical aspect for developing a healthcare unit with advanced and supporting technologies along with productive employees (Girarde, 2009). However, the currently prevailing healthcare system in Australia can be identified to witness significant challenges in terms of the development and modernization of nursing profession. In response to this particular issue, it can be observed that Australian government had been promoting nursing as well as other healthcare professions by a considerable extent in its recent strategies (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2008). Attig & Chanawongse (1989) also stated that promoting healthcare information regarding the elder people can affect the society positively, thereby motivating the aged clients to be highly concerned towards their health. It was observed in this regard that elder people from villages and rural places are more health concerned than urban areas and are supposedly healthier with higher life expectancy ratio (Atting & Chanawongse, 1989). With reference to this study, it can be ascertained that Australia can also focus on implementing this strategy concerning healthcare promotion so that elderly people residing in urban areas can take appropriate measures to keep themselves healthier with their growing age and can support the socio-economic environment of the country to develop at large. Implications In the present scenario, it has been observed that several countries are facing problems related to nursing professions in the healthcare unit. This may be owing to the socio-economic environmental distinctiveness or the increasing significance to satisfy the individual needs amid the healthcare professionals rather than concentrating on their primary role. This in turn indicates the requirement of greater ethical concern and proper developmental programs to facilitate nursing as well as other healthcare professions within Australia. Furthermore, from an in-depth point of view towards studying the role of nurses it is observed that there are certain segments. For instance, nurses functioning in the adult, mental health and learning disability departments need to generally deal with the patients aged from 18 years and above, also comprising the elderly patients or aged clients. The sole responsibilities of these nurses concern facilitating the patients with proper medical as well as moral guidance and care. However, the functioning of these nurses differs largely. For instance, adult nurses generally are engaged in serving the patients suffering from general diseases and problems which can be cured with short-term medical care. Mental health nurses attempt to deal with all mental distressed patients assisting them with medical as well as regular mortal support. Furthermore, learning disability nurses serve patients who are physically unsound and are incompetent in performing activities without assistance. In order to render their function to serve the needful, nurses need to follow certain fundamental norms related to culture and ethics, such as the depiction of a supportive attitude towards the patient, avoidance towards cultural diversification maintaining impartiality while rendering the services and similar other concerns. These specified norms further help nurses to serve their patients with psychological, social, spiritual and physical needs with efficiency. It is suggestible in this respect that if the practicing of nursing is consistently conducted with the implementation of ethical concerns and professionalism, it can certainly be helpful for Australia to promote its healthcare program and units at all age-groups, thus facilitating elderly healthcare in the near future (Burton & Ormrod, 2010). Conclusion The discussions conducted above, apparently represents that the Australian healthcare system is facing problems when serving the elderly people with proper nursing facilities which in turn tends to affect the elderly people making them live as dependents over the younger generation in terms of their social as well as monetary or economic needs. Thus, from an in-depth point of view, it can be affirmed that efficient and ethically sound nursing practices can enable a healthcare unit to serve every aged personnel with proper services according to their individual needs. In this respect, nurses should be trained efficiently according to their knowledge and experiences to render healthcare services to the community, playing a crucial role in generating awareness regarding the benefits of a healthy life. Furthermore, the promotion of healthcare professions should involve healthy as well as contended aged personnel to influence other aged people attracting their attention towards availing the benefits of regular healthcare services. In this regard, conducting an in-depth research can help the Australian governmental bodies and social institutions to obtain a detailed understanding of the aged people’s requirements and thus support them to live independently. Furthermore, with the help of knowledge enhancement techniques, Australian government can further help or motivate groups to form social bodies with the sole purpose to generate awareness regarding a healthier life, especially considering the aged clients along with the younger generation from a long-term perspective. It is worth mentioning in this regards that the aged people who are facing problems related to finances or infrastructures can be served by these social bodies providing them with the required amenities along with proper healthcare services. By means of these assistances, elder or aged clients in Australia can certainly live independently availing the virtues of advanced healthcare facilities. References Adrian, A. (2009). Primary health care in Australia. Retrieved from http://www.anf.org.au/pdf/publications_reports/PHC_Australia.pdf Aged & Community Services Australia. (2003). A vision for community care. 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