Aging And The Healthcare System

Gerontology as a field of scientific study can be traced back to the late 1800s; a time when research primarily focused on the negative attributes of aging, such as health decline. It wasn 't until the introduction of social gerontology in 1983 that researchers began to more rigorously study the psychological and social aspects of aging. In recognizing that “successful aging depends not just on the prevention of disease and disability, but also on the attainment of peak physical and psychological functioning,” (Quadagno,

There are a lot of books and studies which tell us that as a person grows older certain personality disorders develop. These Personality disorders are reflected in their interpersonal skills also that older people tend to give unexpected responses to clinical treatment. Patients with such personality disorders are often described in as "difficult." (Committee, 2005)

The quantity of Medicare eligible individuals continues to grow as the median age of the population of the United States rises. The old Medicare system has become outdated and strained because of the volume of individuals that are currently receiving benefits within the program. Since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare has become the main source of delivering healthcare insurance for the elderly of the United States. In order to meet the current requirements of the ACA, Medicare must be reformed in order to provide the promised services for the individuals that are currently receiving benefits and for the future survival of the program.

With an older adult it can be a difficult time of their life as they are going through the aging process. They physical appearance include hair turning grey, bones becoming fragile, skin wrinkles, sight and hearing deteriorates and sense of taste and smell is reduced. Their intellectual development has declined as they find it difficult to remember, they are too confused to manage affairs but

The following research paper discusses the healthcare financing for an aging American Population. In the discussion, it addresses both the negative and positive perspective of the healthcare financing of this particular population as well as personal position and thoughts.

According to Healthy People 2020 (n.d) the goal in addressing social determinants of health is to “Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all”. Regardless of a person’s socioeconomic status, age, or gender all American’s should have the right as well as the access to good quality health care. Catalano (2015) says the United States has some of the best health care in the world but ranks 34th in the delivery of health care (p.490). There is still a need for healthcare reform that the 2008 Affordable care act did not take care of. Such as the “donut hole” with the Medicare

Physical changes, mental changes, cultural and environmental changes. These changes can make it hard for an older person to seek help due to independence, and stubbornness. Depending on the change it can cause trust issues and fear in them.

This journal article overviews the new realities of aging as they are shaped by contemporary social and economic contexts and the processes that give rise to them. It reviews the outcomes and implications of aging as it relates to contemporary social and economic contexts; and it features the importance of viewing the science of human aging through a sociological lens.

In Rethinking Age and Aging, by Warren Sanderson and Sergei Scherbov, the concept of life-expectancy changing the meaning of age is explored in great detail. As quality of life and life expectancy improve, the ability of people to maintain certain lifestyles for longer grows. This ability is changing how society manages questions of age, with regards to social policy and age-specific benefits.

Another supporter of changing the way aging is conveyed is author, Margaret Cruiksbank, of the book, Learning to be Old. In her book she is a proponent of changing the way the aging process is described. Her position is that the underlying meaning of popular terms to describe aging weakens its value. She denotes that the term “successful aging” is a false phrase for the elderly as it “masks both the wish to continue mid-life indefinitely and the white, Middle-class, Western values of researchers, causing them to emphasize productivity, effectiveness and independence” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2). She also concludes that the term “productive” aging symbolizes “economic usefulness and social conformity” (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 2), especially for the female gender. More importantly, these terms can be used to measure. This ability to measure is subjective to the questioner and an individual’s self-worth. She suggests the term “aging comfortably” as it signifies easiness, and a “faint hint” of pleasurable self-indulgence which may not have been possible in younger years (Cruiksbank, 2009, p. 3).

Getting old and aging are things that have become difficult points for many and despite

As people grow older, they develop dental problems which lead to nutritional intake issues. Cognitive function declines affecting memory, decision making, conversing, and problem solving. In addition, falls can occur with mental status disturbances. Lack of social interaction, depression, and anxiety also crop up in the elderly. Sleep patterns are altered by restless legs, snoring, and disrupted breathing sequences. At times, pain can be constant from arthritis, osteoarthritis, or other medical issues (Tabloski, 2014).

As an older individual there are many physical changes that occurs during this stage of life. Older individuals live independently and maintain close relationships with family and friends. Most individual’s personalities remain relatively stable throughout their lives. Depression is less prevalent than depression in younger adults. Becoming older can cause hearing impairment. 37 percent of women and 48 percent of men over the age of 75 have impaired hearing. Also there is a decline in vision. It will start to become difficult to read small print, seeing in sim light, or even finding objects. Some aging adults may even need

As aging is a stage of development that cannot prevented, the question of “can one’s aging be more successful than another?” is posed my many. Researchers continually consider the differences between aging successfully, and aging unsuccessfully. As researchers work to complete their studies, many find a reoccurring basis of successful aging. A basis of successful aging can be set including: physical health disease free, chronic illness free, mental health disease free, among many others. The only problem with this basis is the difference from person to person in terms of what makes aging successful. As individuals age, their mental state is a large predictor of how the person will age. A positive mental state about aging, will have a more positive effect on a person’s aging process. Many factors may influence the positivity of aging, such as negative aging stereotypes and discrimination because of older age. These negative aging stereotypes include but are not limited to: older adults are not as smart, older adults are angry all the time, older adults are bad drivers, older adults are isolated and never socialize. In adult aging and development, having a positive outlook on aging will lead to better mental and physical aging.

Knowing and having an understanding of what ageing stands for, remains an important step, growing-up or growing older and ageism are theories about older individuals. Ageism includes preconceptions that elderly are categorized for their age and perceived as weak, and incapable of performing tasks and needy of others (Quadagno, 2014). Another view about elderly individuals is the way they are looked down on by the younger society, i.e. elderly are not as intelligent as their younger competitive working force. People fear what they do not know and do not understand. Age transpires as something that must be lived through in order to understand what ageing means; looking back on one’s life and seeing accomplishments made,