Delivering Health Care

While many elderly individuals live full and active lives in relatively good health, they have certain common

qualities different from younger people. Multiple clinical disorders and a variety of sensory, movement, and

cognitive limitations are among these causes (Devi et al., 2018). Older persons are more sensitive to health

problems because they have reduced immunity and frequently have many medical illnesses. As people get older,

they are more likely to experience stressful events such as health problems and losing loved ones, which makes

them more vulnerable to mental health problems. Anxiety disorders, severe cognitive impairment, and mood

disorders are the most frequent mental health conditions among persons 55 and older.

In comparison to non-elderly people, older folks use health services at a substantially higher rate. On average,

those over 65 go to the doctor twice as often as those under 65. A significant amount of ambulatory care is

provided to older adults in hospital outpatient departments (Carvalho et al., 2017). After they've been taken care of,

elderly people are more likely to stay in the hospital overnight, and they're also more likely to stay in the hospital

multiple times. After being discharged from the hospital, more older adults receive some form of post-acute care.

Health and personal services are provided to chronically disabled people over an extended period as part of long-

term care (Breton et al., 2017). Many older adults live in nursing homes, and others reside in different residential

care homes, which offer accommodation and services to persons who are unable to live independently outside of

nursing homes.

Managing these chronic diseases and a patient's level of handicap puts a strain on the healthcare system. The

cost rises as the number of chronic illnesses treated rises, accounting for the predicted double-digit increase in

hospital admissions and physician visits. Many older people live alone, which, when combined with poor health,

heightens their sense of vulnerability and raises concerns about their ability to obtain needed assistance for tasks

ranging from going to medical appointments to preparing meals to have someone to talk to about their care

preferences (Burton et al., 2018). Inadequate health care services were noted as a problem for culturally and

linguistically diverse groups and those living in remote locations. Accessibility concerns included difficulties

obtaining transportation to healthcare facilities, which limited appointment scheduling options. There are long wait

times for appointments with both general practitioners and medical experts. Affording certain services has been an

issue, necessitating extensive healthcare utilization.

 References

Breton, M., Gray, C. S., Sheridan, N., Shaw, J., Parsons, J., Wankah, P., ... & Wodchis, W. P. (2017).

Implementing community based primary healthcare for older adults with complex needs in Quebec, Ontario,

and New-Zealand: describing nine cases. International journal of integrated care, 17(2).

Burton, E., Farrier, K., Hill, K. D., Codde, J., Airey, P., & Hill, A. M. (2018). Effectiveness of peers in delivering

programs or motivating older people to increase their participation in physical activity: Systematic review and

meta-analysis. Journal of sports sciences, 36(6), 666-678.

Carvalho, I. A., Epping-Jordan, J., Pot, A. M., Kelley, E., Toro, N., Thiyagarajan, J. A., & Beard, J. R. (2017).

Organizing integrated healthcare services to meet older people's needs. Bulletin of the World Health

Organization, 95(11), 756.

Devi, R., Meyer, J., Banerjee, J., Goodman, C., Gladman, J. R. F., Dening, T., ... & Gordon, A. L. (2018). Quality

improvement collaborative aiming for Proactive HEAlthcare of Older People in Care Homes (PEACH): a realist

evaluation protocol. BMJ Open, 8(11), e023287.