Community health interventions or public policy that exists in populations
Choose (senior citizens in Illinois State) and list at least two possible health concerns for that population. Research your local newspaper or another source to give information on community health interventions or public policy that exist with the population you chose.
Access the link http://christianhospital.privatehealthnews.com/phn_new/client/bvha/html/view.asp#1 to take a health risk assessment. There are several to choose from. Choose one and report findings and recommendations for improving your health. Please summarize questions asked and also summarize results thoroughly and in your own words. Do not cut and paste answers directly from the findings given on the website. How can you utilize these results to improve your own personal health.
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The Chicago Tribune reported on April 17, 2014 that older people may need to taper off of taking sleeping pills. It has been found that there has been significant memory loss and even a higher rate of car accidents in older adults taking sleeping medications. Patients who are now in their eighties h ve been taking medications in a class called benzodiazepines and have not been taken off these drugs. As they age, they become more sensitive to the medication. A younger person may take the drug to get a good night’s sleep before a particularly stressful event but the elderly do not need this added unwanted side effect. The April issue of the Journal of American Medical Association reports that this is a major safety issue in the elderly (http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-rt-us-sleeping-pills-20140417,0,4412837.story)
The Daily Herald reported that two St. Charles nursing home workers were arrested for abusing an elderly women who was 97 years old. One of the more prolific problems reported in seniors in the Illinois area is abuse of the elderly. This is a physical and health problems and dangerous for the many older adults living in Illinois. Abuse is not only the physical pain caused by injury but also from neglect that often occurs when caregivers who are family cease to take care of the elder. They may tire of the elder’s needs and constant care. The elder refuses to report the abuse because they do not want to be put in a nursing facility (http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140314/news/140318893/)
Contrary to the newspaper report in the Daily Herald, nursing home abuse in not as plentiful as that of family abuse. A big part of this may be financial abuse. The elder cannot longer get around to take care of their own finances and depends on their child or friend to take care of the bills and checkbook. The family member or friend starts to take advantage of them by taking money for themselves.
Abuse should never be taken lightly. An abused person that is seen by another person cannot refuse to have her situation reported. If she were to come to the hospital with injuries that were clearly related to abuse, the healthcare team must report it to the authorities. Any child who may be in a potential abusive situation must be reported, so know the laws of your area. Do not ignore a family you think is being abused by a father or mother because you are
afraid that may become upset. An elder who can no longer balance their …
