Public Health Trends Assignment by-Leah Blight

Representative:

Aaron Blight

Owner of LEDA Enterprises and Home Instead Senior Care Franchises

Winchester, VA area

Top 5 Community Trends in the Elderly Community

Medication Management is a growing problem.  Any one of us can forget to take our assigned medicinal dosages from time to time, so think of how often it can happen for seniors.  Because of aging and memory loss they might have a hard time remembering to take their medicine, and it is often these seniors whom it is most important for them to remember to take these medicines.  There is some technology available for this problem like telephone med reminders, reminders integrated into safety or home monitoring devises, or electronic pill-dispensing systems.  Additionally, caregivers can be responsible for medication reminders.

Fall risks are a huge trend in the elderly population.  About a third of the population aged 65+ falls each year, and falls are the leading cause of death due to injury among the elderly.  This is especially a problem because many seniors live alone and so if they fall, they have no one there to help them.  Seniors can use alert systems in their home or use caregivers to help avoid some problems associated with fall risks.  This is essential because getting help after an immobilizing fall improves the chance of survival by about 80%.

A huge issue in the health of the elderly population is the ability of these seniors to afford the long-term care that they need.  Acute care is covered by Medicare, but many seniors need long-term care and they need to spend their own money on this.  Many struggle with being able to afford this.  Also, as they age, the cost associated with daily living increases.  This is another public health issue involving the relation of wealth distribution to health distribution.

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are a trend in the elderly population.  Contrary to some common misconceptions, Alzheimer’s is NOT a normal part of aging; it is an illness.  This is especially a concern as the population is aging, and the number of people age 65+ will more than double between 2010 to 2050, thus increasing cases of Alzheimer’s.  There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.  There are, however, some FDA approved medications for the treatment of the disease.

Chronic disease management is another issue in the elderly population.  Public health has done a lot of work for control of infectious diseases, but chronic disease management is an important factor for the elderly population.  Seniors need special care for chronic diseases.  Chronic diseases are leading causes of death among senior citizens.  Heart disease is responsible for about one third of senior deaths, and cancer for about one fifth.  

student name:  Leah Blight