Human Services for the Senior Citizen Population - Research Paper Example

Human Services for the Senior Citizen Population Human services have been availed to the senior citizens across many countries around the globe with the objective of satisfying their needs through the use of interdisciplinary comprehension bases that mainly focus on preventing and remedying their problems (Burger, 2010). The human services on offer to the senior citizens have also aimed at maintaining their commitment towards helping improve the quality of life that is enjoyed by these citizens. The profession of human services promotes the improvement of their systems of service delivery by ensuring their quality and accessibility (Monette, et. al., 2010). The professions are also responsible for ensuring coordination and accountability among the experts working in the sector (Burger, 2010). This paper discusses what professionals in human services can do to empower the senior citizens in a country, the barriers faced by the senior citizens and programs that are dealing effectively with the senior population. What Human Service Professionals Can Do To Empower This Population The professionals within the human services sector can take several measures that would help them empower the senior citizens within their countries. They may firstly do so by promoting the concept of healthy aging among their senior citizens. This may be accomplished by communicating to the senior citizens concerning the benefits they could reap from adopting lifestyles that are healthy (Monette, et. al., 2010). Communication to the senior citizens may be carried out through campaigns and the media. The offering of volunteer opportunities for the senior citizens who may have the ability of working may also play an important role in enabling them to lead healthy lifestyles (Labor Department, 2011). The professionals within the human services sector may also increase the using of any preventive services that they may have at their disposal. This may be accomplished by encouraging collaborative work activities between state departments of health and other health agencies to ensure the efficient delivery of preventive services (Monette, et. al., 2010). The establishment of centers around the country for self-management of chronic diseases may also greatly empower the senior citizens who may be living alone (Burger, 2010). In addition, working to augment the rate at which senior citizens are being immunized by the provision of extra access points may help in empowering them. This is because they improve the coordination and communication that exists between professionals and the senior citizens (Labor Department, 2011). Improvement of the retiree’s health care systems may help their populations in gaining better access to preventive services and attaining behaviors that health-enhancing (Monette, et. al., 2010). Subsequently, the professionals within the human services sector may put in place centers for supporting the senior citizens within their country as a measure aimed at empowering them. This may be accomplished by providing funding for supporting programs that are community based for the purpose of increasing the existing collaborations between the medical care and social services sectors (Burger, 2010). They may also provide incentives and guidance to the local planning boards, and other building designers within their region to help in creating safer buildings for the senior citizens who may visit them (Labor Department, 2011). They may suggest that buildings provide alternative methods of transportation to ensure the ease of mobility among the senior citizens (Monette, et. al., 2010). The elimination of the biases that exist between various professional institutions in the human services sector may also go a long way in empowering the senior citizens. For instance, by eliminating the biases that exist in Medicaid, the professionals in the human services sector may dwell in providing funds for building homes for their senior citizens or expand the roles played by the services that are community based (Labor Department, 2011). Establishing centers or starting programs aimed at teaching the senior citizens how to manage their old age pains, has been a largely successful means through which professionals within the human services sector have empowered the senior citizens within their countries (Burger, 2010). Encouraging regular physical activities among the senior citizens of a country by the professionals within the human services sector may also help in empowering this people. The professionals within this sector should finally empower the senior citizens within their country but ensure that their contributions are properly utilized in providing for their wants (Labor Department, 2011). They should provide the senior citizens with information concerning their rights and the channels they can use when seeking justice. This helps increase the knowledge of the senior citizens thereby making them attain the ability of managing themselves (Monette, et. al., 2010). Barriers Faced By This Particular Population The senior citizens around the globe have encountered many barriers towards their efforts of empowerment. These barriers begin occurring when they are preparing for their retirements (Labor Department, 2011). Many of the retired people around the globe usually depend on incomes from their social security’s, personal savings, earnings and pensions which are insufficient for maintaining their living standards. Therefore, this implies that many of them lack food and other basic commodities that they could afford at a younger age (Burger, 2010). In addition, most senior citizens are left to take personal responsibility for the maintenance of their health conditions which may require care for the long term period. The major problem is that the senior citizens should sufficiently plan their funds so that they have the ability of maintaining their accustomed lifestyles (Monette, et. al., 2010). However, this not usually the case since despite their efforts of planning for their finances, the costs of attaining quality health care is always rising (Labor Department, 2011). According to previous reports, the volunteers who are charged with assisting the senior citizens charge high prices despite the fact they do not offer quality services. These reports indicate that most of the volunteer workers are not efficient when working for the senior citizens (Burger, 2010). According to a previous survey a considerable amount of these volunteers arrive late or leave earlier from work whereas frequently take time off from work (Monette, et. al., 2010). Others were reported to have refused transfers given to them or retired early from the job thereby leaving the senior citizens with problems of getting care (Burger, 2010). Payment of medical expenses by the senior citizens has become a great hindrance to their empowerment in recent times according to reports. The costs of acquiring prescription drugs, coverage for health care are on the rise making it difficult for these people to have accessibility to them (Labor Department, 2011). This has been made worse by the fact that most of their former employers do not pay these dues when they are supposed to, and most of the senior citizens lack a constant source of additional income to supplement their savings (Monette, et. al., 2010). Previous labor reports indicate that most employers are reducing their health insurance coverage for their employees by reducing the number of employees covered under these schemes (Labor Department, 2011). Alternatively, insurance companies around the globe are constantly increasing the amounts payable to them as premiums while their benefits are gradually decreasing. These factors according to previous studies are greatly hindering the empowerment of the senior citizens by reducing their accessibility to quality health care (Burger, 2010). The costs of living for the senior people have risen due to the rise in costs for the prescription drugs they require for the diseases that affect them during their old age. The elderly have received many forms of abuse from the younger generations according to recent reports (Monette, et. al., 2010). Some forms of violence that have been perpetuated against the senior citizens include fraud, theft, scams, rape and assault with little being done to the perpetrators. The senior citizens are therefore not empowered by law to seek justice for the crimes committed against them, and this has resulted in the crime rates against them increasing (Labor Department, 2011). Senior citizens across many countries around the globe have reportedly encountered problems in getting safe and comfortable transportation means due to their country’s poor infrastructural designs (Burger, 2010). Most highways, buildings, pathways and systems have not been designed to cater for the needs of the senior citizens who may have waling problems or other bodily impairments (Labor Department, 2011). The participation of the senior citizens in decision making bodies is limited with only a few being inexpressively involved in the daily operations of the groups. This limits the avenues that the senior citizens have to utilize for the purpose of airing their concerns and fighting for their rights (Monette, et. al., 2010). Finally, the public services that are availed for use by the state and federal governments are insufficient. This includes a decline in the number of workers assigned to work for the senior citizens and the finances reserved for supporting their upkeep (Burger, 2010). Programs That Are Dealing Effectively With This Population There are several types of organizations that are effectively handling the issues of the senior citizens. These include the non-profit making and profit making organizations, the social services sector, the government and other private organizations (Monette, et. al., 2010). The leading non-profit making that is responsible for taking care of the senior citizens in America is the AARP which stands for the American Association of Retired Persons. The organization aids people who are aged over fifty years by improving their lifestyles and helping them to efficiently respond to the changes taking place within the society (Labor Department, 2011). An example of a profit making organization that helps the senior citizens within America is the administration on Aging (AOA). This organization helps in the development of understandable, cost-effective and coordinated systems that avail community and home care services also aimed at improving the lifestyles of their senior citizens (Burger, 2010). The country’s government through their National centers for senior citizens has additionally helped in ensuring that the senior low-income earners within their community have access to quality medical care. This is mainly enabled through education and counseling that is given to their employees who work with the senior citizens who are low-income earners (Monette, et. al., 2010). In fighting for the empowerment of the senior citizens, the NSCLC (National Senior Citizens Law Center) has been at the forefront in advocating for the legislation of just laws that will cater for the senior citizens needs (Labor Department, 2011). Non-governmental institutions have also played a paramount role in formulating programs that have helped in addressing the needs of the senior citizens within America. For instance, organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation have been helping in ensuring that the senior citizens in the country can access quality health care. These efforts have been achieved by opening up many branches in the remote areas for the purpose of easing their access to quality care (Burger, 2010). This paper looked at what the professionals are doing to empower the senior citizen population, the barriers faced by the senior citizens and programs that are effectively dealing with this population. References Burger, W. R. (2010). Human Services in Contemporary America. London: Cengage Learning. Monette, D. R., Sullivan, T. J. & Dejong, C. R. (2010). Applied Social Research: A Tool For the Human Services. London: Cengage Learning. Labor Department, Labor Statistics Bureau. (2011). Occupational Outlook Handbook 2010-2011 (Paperback). Washington: Government Printing Office. Read More