Identifying Needs and Priorities - Essay Example

Section/# Health Care Strategy Report Identification and Understanding of Problem to Be Addressed: By its very definition, dementia refers to decreased mental capacities as a result of any number of degenerative conditions that can be exhibited within the patient; oftentimes as a result of the process of ageing. As a function of this type of illness, the ability of the healthcare professional to integrate directly with the patient and explicate all of the tangential needs and direct actions that can and should take place as a means of furthering the level of healthcare is necessarily reduced. Likewise, as populations throughout Australia age, it is necessary to provide further understanding and engagement with regard to this issue. As a function of the growing prevalence of dementia, as populations within Australia and around the world are living longer and healthier lives, the need to engage stakeholders with a greater understanding of this issue as well as provide relevant awareness to this debilitating condition has become all the more relevant. As a function of this, the following discussion will be concentric upon presenting a health promotion campaign that seeks to relate to target individuals within an older demographic by raising awareness of the issues concerning dementia and seeking to promote healthy lifestyle choices that can seek to reduce the incidence of this debilitating illness; as well as promoting overall wellness (Ewles & Simnett, 2003). Ultimately, beyond merely raising awareness, the health promotion campaign will seek to serve as something of an intervention that can engage stakeholders in understanding the seriousness of the condition and taking demonstrable and immediate steps within their daily lives as a means of combating the threat of dementia; both within themselves and within their friends and loved ones. Health Care Promotion Plan - Scope: The context of this particular Health Strategy will be to focus determinacy on a small Australian town; by reviewing existing HCS that are operational within Australia. Moreover, for purposes of explanation and description, the program that will be advocated will view the case of Melbourne, Australia that currently exhibit dementia. Per the analysis that was conducted, it was understood that the rate of dementia within Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs and residential areas stood at approximately 2.4%; a rate nearly 1 percentage point higher than the remainder of Australia. This is potentially indicative of a situation in which the case for a solid and definitive HCS can be made as a means of addressing this issue and seeking to ameliorate its symptoms and overall occurrence. The more complex the plan, the more difficulty of implementation, the higher the cost, and the greater the likelihood is that more individuals will be engaged. As a function of this, the reader to easily note that there are certain strengths and weaknesses to promoting a small health care promotion plan as compared to a very large one. On a smaller scale health care promotion plan could be highly beneficial with respect to integrating with the needs of a distinct community or demographic of individuals from certain ethnic backgrounds (Fox et al., 2013). However, each of these demarcations restricts the overall scope to which a health care promotion plan can actually impact upon the healthcare outcomes for broader populations throughout the Australia. As a result of this, the health care promotion plan that will be engaged within this particular analysis is one that takes the macro approach; or one that seeks to engage the greatest number of stakeholders possible and promote the highest level of engagement (Habjanič et al., 2012). Naturally, the overall resources that will be required for this and the overall number of stakeholders that would be involved are exponentially larger as compared to focusing upon a single demographic is the within a certain set area. Laverack (2005) indicates that the ability to promote healthcare within any individual community or group is dependent on the approach that is made. Within such an understanding, and using Laverack’s research as a guide point, this analysis promotes the fact that the NHS must target a specific community for involvement and utilize a test case as a means of engaging with best practices and ensuring that the needs of the individual stakeholders are met in the most efficient way possible. As anyone living within the United Kingdom is all too well aware, the NHS, national healthcare service, serves as the United Kingdom’s governmental ministry of health that provides health care, pharmaceuticals, in-home assistance, and a range of other wellness and health programmes to all individuals that hold citizenship within the United Kingdom. As such, this particular entity is of course also tasked with promoting the overall health care needs of the senior population within the United Kingdom (Kwak et al., 2013). As such, rather than seeking to integrate with a smaller population that would have limited reach and scope, the ability to engage stakeholders across the board and potentially affect a very large impact upon understandings of health and dementia prevention within the extant community that is impacted. As such, the plan itself will work closely with the NHS Elder Care programme; a programme that specializes in the following sectors of elderly care: personal assistance services, peer counseling, in home-counseling, and home support services (Hewner, 2014). As a direct function of the fact that this particular programme engages with a variety of different individuals within the elderly community, the overall possibility for stakeholders involved in this process to present information regarding dementia and the means by which activities and mental tasks can be engaged to seek to diminish these risks, the overall scope and breadth of the health care promotion plan far exceeds what others might hope to accomplish within similarly limited contexts (Naidoo & Willis, 2000). Wellness and Health Promotion: At its very core, wellness indicates a state of physical or mental wellbeing in health. Naturally, wellness is a relative term as it relates to different groups, of different ages in different ways. However, in terms of the targeted demographic that will be focused upon in this healthcare promotion plan, wellness promotion will be concentric upon seeking to engage elderly individuals in activities that promote mental acuity. The plan itself In terms of the plan itself, it will be necessary to provide a level of ongoing training and expertise to individuals that are already involved with the NHS Elder care programme. Essentially, these individuals are generally not primary health care providers; rather, they are individuals that more regularly interact with stakeholders within the affected community in question. As a function of this, this particular group of secondary healthcare workers has been selected as these of the individuals that will come in contact with the individual patient to the greatest degree of regularity. Whereas a health care promotion plan could have of course been promoted within doctors and nurses of a specific community, these individuals only have the luxury and opportunity of meeting with their individual patients on a semi regular basis; oftentimes only a few times each and every year. However, with respect to individuals that required assistance, research has indicated that this particular demographic is at the highest risk for developing dementia. Some of the reasons behind this are contingent upon the fact that individuals that live a relatively sedentary lifestyle are much more likely to develop dementia has compared to those that did not (Daly et al., 2012). Similarly, rather than utilizing available resources to keep an active mind, many of the individuals that suffer from mobility issues and require assistance do not have access to ongoing learning programmes and other activities with fellow senior citizens that could ultimately promote a higher level of healthcare engagement and seek to decrease the overall potential of dementia developing. As a direct function of such an understanding, the programme in question will provide resources, knowledge, and ongoing training to these secondary stakeholders within the healthcare sphere; as they go about the course of their daily activities. Essentially, it is the understanding of this analyst that healthcare professionals which regularly interact with individuals that are comprised within the eldercare programme will also come in contact with friends, loved ones, and other responsible individuals that are at least tangentially responsible for the overall health and well-being of the patient in question. Whereas this may not seem as an important factor, it is essential towards promoting the overall well-being of the patient. Within such a level of understanding, it is the approach of this healthcare promotion plan to provide printed material and available resources that secondary caregivers can in turn provide to the patient as well as to any other caretakers were concerned individuals that they might be during the course of their daily activities. Essentially, this helps to maximize the outreach and scope that such a programme might be able to affect; at least as compared to a similar programme that could be conducted within a traditional doctors office or hospital stop the reason for this is based on the fact that a doctor’s office or hospital, the individual that requires assistance or an elderly individual in general may necessarily only have one individual with them that is directly responsible for their care (Liu et al., 2014). By means of contrast in comparison, the secondary healthcare provider that is able to engage with the elderly individual within their own home or place of residence is much more likely to be and become familiar with other stakeholders that have an interest in the overall health, wellness, and longevity of the patient in question. Essentially, this serves as a force maximizer; allowing the secondary healthcare provider access to more concerned stakeholders that may take an active role in seeking to promote engagement and passing along available knowledge and training that they have received. The ultimate value of the programme that is being promoted has to do with the potential to reduce rates of dementia. Current research indicates that individuals experience and exponential risk of dementia as they pass from their 70s to their 80s and beyond. As a result of the fact that populations within the Australia, and elsewhere throughout the developed world that matter, are living longer and longer, this is a salient issue that needs to be addressed so that the overall strain and hardship that might be exhibited in Australia’s national health service could ultimately be reduced. By promoting a level of integration, training, and ongoing assistance to individuals that are interested in learning how they can seek to counter the threat of dementia within their own life, or within the lives of their loved ones, the entire system stands to benefit in the overall health and wellness of the elderly population is impacted positively. 1. Identifying needs and priorities The most relevant need with respect to this particular healthcare promotion plan is to engage stakeholders within the NHS and to ensure that the metrics and determinants of healthcare promotion that could potentially be engaged as a function of the interaction with the NHS eldercare programme would be synonymous with the ultimate goals to which the NHS is attempting to further (Friedemann et al., 2014). Ultimately, any incongruence or disagreement that the NHS might have with respect to this particular health promotion plan would require a fundamental reconsideration of the priorities and aims that must be accomplished. However, in the eventuality that the NHS does in fact agree with the terms and conditions of the health promotion strategy that has been indicated above, a secondary need and priority will necessarily be contingent upon securing available funding to my: both from the government and from more private foundations that attempt to fight against dementia in all of its forms. The need for funding is a relevant concern; due to the fact that the overall scope of this particular health promotion plan is so great that it would require a high level of resources prior to any level of success being engaged. A tertiary need that is represented with respect to this particular health promotion plan is contingent upon the fact that training will be provided to the secondary stakeholders will be engaging with members within the elderly community of Ausralia. Rather than merely providing these individuals with physical resources and brochures to which they can provide to affected communities, it is necessary to provide these a basic level of training and proficiency concerning the incidence of dementia, science, the ways in which concerns and interested individuals might take immediate action as a function of decreasing these risks. 2. Setting aims and objectives As stipulated previously, the setting for this particular healthcare promotion will invariably take place within the domicile/residents of individuals within the elderly community. Likewise, as a direct result of this particular setting, the overall ability of stakeholders to engage with friends and loved ones of the affected individual will necessarily be maximized; at least as compared to traditional healthcare setting in a hospital or doctor’s office (Browne et al., 2014). In terms of objectives, the ultimate objective of this particular healthcare promotion plan is to provide an increased level of knowledge, indicators, and potential interventions that can be performed as a function to pay off the exhibition of dementia within an end. Although it should be clear that there is no silver bullet to stopping dementia within an elderly individual, certain levels of activity and have demonstrably proven to have a dramatic impact upon reducing the prevalence of this particular condition within the elderly community. 3. Identifying appropriate methods for achieving the objectives As referenced briefly in the above analysis, one of the most appropriate methods for engaging the determinants and metrics of the programme that has thus far been defined is contingent on providing secondary healthcare professionals with sufficient training and expertise based upon the issue of dementia and how they can engage elderly individuals within the communities in question. Essentially, the method of instruction and its overall usefulness and beneficiary will rely upon the quality of training that is provided (Hodgkin, 2014). Rather than merely handing the secondary healthcare professionals a stack of brochures and requisite information concerning dementia, it is necessary that they had a baseline understanding for these indicators and what specific steps an individual of a different physical ability and/or age group will find it necessary to seek to reduce their overall chance of developing dementia during their lifetime. 4. Identifying resources In terms of an identification of resources, it must be understood that the most obvious resource that is required is not based upon a monetary resource. Instead, the first and most obvious resource is cooperation by the NHS and a level of cooperation within the eldercare programme. After this is accomplished and agreed upon, it will then be necessary to find the available funding that will provide the backbone of the intervention and engagement that this particular promotion of health strategy seeks to accomplish. Yet, beyond the agreement and cooperation of the NHS and the acquisition of relevant funding, it will also be necessary to either by a contractor that has experience with the publication of pamphlets, brochures and other printed materials that are directed specifically at an older demographic. Whereas other forms of healthcare promotion might rely upon a web enabled format as a function of engaging stakeholders, this particular demographic should be understood as one that is not readily web savvy (Vara, 2014). Because of this, the need to have printed materials that are directed towards the demographic in question and able to specifically meet their needs is and resource that will necessarily be required in order for this particular healthcare integration and promotion to be beneficial. 5. Plan evaluation methods An essential element to ensuring that the health promotion plan in question is proceeding along the path that it was intended is to provide plan and evaluations at specific intervals. Accordingly, it is the approach of this particular analyst to indicate that the plan should be measured at three intervals yearly. The first of these intervals is based upon a measurement of training that is received and the overall knowledge base that is imparted to new secondary health providers as they complete the workshops and trainings that have been thus far indicated. Although standardized testing provides one way in which this can be measured, there are of course other alternative methods that could utilize less time and fewer resources; such as individual interviews and case study analysis (Shibusawa et al., 2014). Likewise, a secondary methodology for analyzing the effects of the programme is to engage with an understanding of the knowledge that has been imparted to individuals within the elderly community and their loved ones/friends/family members. In such a manner, a supervisor or additional member of eldercare can seek out a certain percentage of the individuals involved in the programme and ascertain, via an in person or telephonic interview whether or not there secondary provider has discussed with them elements of the programme and whether or not they were clear and seek in their explanation. Likewise, a tertiary method by which plan evaluation can take place is to analyze the overall level of enrollment in programmes that are linked to those advocated in the materials and brochures distributed by the secondary healthcare individuals (Radwany et al., 2014). It can be assumed that a rapid or demonstrable increase within a certain limited period of time will most necessarily be tied to the fact that this programme has actively advocated individuals become more involved; as a function of promoting their own mental and physical wellness. 6. Setting an action plan: As indicated previously, the “who, what, when and where” of the health care promotion programme is essential to specifying its underlying success. In such a manner, individuals that are currently within the Elder Care Programme, administered and staffed by the NHS will by the target of the pilot programme. Likewise, the pilot programme will consist of at least 1000 trained Elder Care professionals distributing brochures and information concerning dementia and briefly discussing some of the means by which the individual can seek to stave off this particularly debilitating outcome. The “when” of the plan will be at such a point as sufficient engagement has been promised by the NHS and sufficient resources have been gathered; along with at least 1000 individuals tasked with Elder Care having completed training as to the approach that has thus far been specified. In terms of the where question, the programme will initially be concentric upon the Welsh countryside; as the overall demographic within this region has demonstrably indicated a higher than average rate of elderly individuals currently enrolled within the NHS’s Elder Care programme (Chau et al., 2012). Timeline: The timeline for this specific plan will encompass the space of 2 years. The following section will detail the way in which this time will be utilized and what aspects of the plan will be affected within each subsequent stage of the plan. The first 6 months will be utilized to gather information from existing programs and provide a determinacy of what aspects of elder care are not being addressed and which aspects could be included in a training program to maximize the utility of the stakeholders. Following this period, the next 6 month block of time will be utilized as a means of gaining approval for the level of healthcare integration and goal oriented changes from the NHS. The period of 6 months to accomplish this step, although somewhat long, has been determined in that the NHS will likely require several oversight bodies to review the program and offer individual guidance with respect to how it should operate and what underlying best practices should be represented. The period is also represented as longer than will likely be required in the event that the NHS determines that some of the aspects of the program are superfluous and could be better addressed in another way; thereby giving stakeholders involved with the elder care training programme effective time to re-address scenarios and re-work the programme. The next 3 months will be utilized as a means of finalizing all plans, printing materials, and beginning a rudimentary consideration for training schedules and the means by which stakeholders can be engaged. After this has been accomplished, the next 3 months will be used as a means of training stakeholders that will be involved in direct day to day interaction with those who are in elder care programs throughout the country. Finally, the last 3 month block of time will be used as a means of reviewing the inputs that have been receive and feedback derived; to more appropriately guide and direct the way that the program could develop for the future. Figure 1.0 below provides a graphical interpretation for how the project should proceed. Figure 1.0 Budget and Resources: The overall budget that will be required from start to completion will be estimated at 5 million pounds. The majority of the expense will be utilized on human resource and training; with fully 80% of all the funding directed towards this goal. Further, of the remaining 20% (1 million pounds) all administrative fees, printing, and presentation will be drawn from this fund. It is the hope and expectation that the entire programme will be grant funded and that the NHS will ultimately be able to provide 100% of all funding that will be required; upon successful representation of the programme and how it can facilitate a positive impact upon the concerned demographic. Conclusion From the information that has been presented, it is clear and apparent that the development of the strategy that has thus far been outlined will require the participation of a variety of individuals and the agreement of a litany of different stakeholders. Nevertheless, the scope of the outlined strategy should not be seen as too foreboding to engage; as the implementation of progressive changes in the health and well-being of patients throughout the system are oftentimes borne of such high-minded and hopeful levels of engagement. This fact notwithstanding, it is still essential to point out that the program that has been put forward for review is one that will allow for testing periods and evaluations; prior to being engaged fully and throughout broader society. Such a level of review and analysis will provide stakeholders with an opportunity to improve the program prior to final implementation being realized. References Chau, P., Kwok, T., Woo, J., Chan, F., Hui, E., & Chan, K. (2010). Disagreement in preference for residential care between family caregivers and elders is greater among cognitively impaired elders group than cognitively intact elders group. International Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry, 25(1), 46-54. Browne, C., Mokuau, N., Kaopua, L., Kim, B., Higuchi, P., & Braun, K. (2014). 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