I plan to discuss Older African Americans and the disparity of the quality of care in nursing homes. In 2008, 3.2 older African Americans lived in the United States, making up 8.3% of the older population. (Administration on Aging) This number is expected to grow to 9.9 million by the year 2050, making African Americans account for 11% of the population. 50% of Black Elderly lived in 8 states, which were New York, Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, and Virginia. (Administration on Aging) 12% of older African Americans had a bachelors degree or higher. (Administration on Aging) Also in 2008, over 12% of Black older persons had a bachelor’s degree or higher. (Administration on Aging) In 2008, 30% of older black men …show more content…
A method to solve the socioeconomic issue, newer long-term facilities with great qualities, adequate staffing could be opened. The facilities could seek funds from the state, and from local donations such as churches, in an effort to open a long-term care facility with high quality but with lower costs. For nursing homes who refuse to admit older African Americans based on their chronic illness, people could begin to sue the nursing homes for discrimination and maybe that would stop the discrimination in admitting older African Americans to higher quality care facilities. Another method to lower and stop racial discrimination older African Americans face in nursing homes is to maybe have a black owned, and all black staff so that there wouldn’t be any point for racial discrimination to occur. For older African Americans who simply opt to check in to nursing homes with lower quality, there isn’t much one can do to change that except talk to them and make them aware that there are other alternatives in seeking long-term care facilities with higher quality. People could also call on policymakers to make a difference and call for uniform quality in all nursing homes. In rectifying the disparity, it would not be an easy task, but if the unequal treatment of African Americans in nursing homes is brought to America’s attention, I do agree that barriers of racial bias would have to be eliminated. (Popoola,
In doing so, he pays particularly close attention to black patients and their relations with health care policies and practices. Smedly maintains that blacks are not only the victims of, inpatient and outpatient treatment, racial policies, and other services but also the victims of its consequences. He argues that many health care administrators are agents to a system of inequality that support provider and administrator biases, geographical inequalities, and racial stereotypes (Smedly 2012).
In looking on the subject of race you realize there is a racial stigma when it comes to health care. The American health care system is geared to treat the majority, while the minority suffers. As one looks at the African American society we see the racial discrimination in the health care system. According to the American heart association, “African Americans are 28% more likely
13.2% of the United States population identifies themselves as Black as African Americans, and of those over 16% had an mental illness that was diagnosable. The socio economic impact of a history of slavery, sharecropping and race-based exclusion from health, racism, spiritual beliefs, social and economic resources, education and other factors are key factors that contribute to African American disparities today. Many of these things are linked to mental health. According to the US department of health, African Americans are 20% more likely to report having serious psychological distress than in non-Hispanic whites (. Despite knowing this, African Americans are less likely to seek mental health services than white Americans.
My population of interest thus meet the definition of a vulnerable population. Most African Americans women living in Nursing homes suffer from Depression. It could be as a result from other chronic illnesses and not just a single diagnosis of Depression. Some of the most common reasons they are admitted into long-term care facilities is because of Stroke, Diabetes with amputation, Cancer, lack of care givers, lack of finances, homelessness, age, and limited social and economic resources. These are all the factor that determines ones vulnerability. African
HIV/AIDS Disparity among African Americans Health disparities are the differences in accessing and receiving quality of health care provided to different populations (book). The multiple causes of disparities may include gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, stigma or socioeconomic status. One of the common disparities in the US is among African American women who are infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its viral successor, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). There is no clear answer as to why disparity is an ongoing problem within the population but factors that contribute to this epidemic include race itself, poverty or low income and lack of access to care
Disparities of all kinds exist in modern day health care. One such disparity that is of particular interest is one that exists between Caucasian and African American women relating to their respective rates of breast cancer incidence and breast cancer survival. According to the American Cancer Society, Caucasian women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than African American women however; Caucasian women have a higher survival rate than African American women (ACS, 2006, as cited in Leshner, 2006). This is to say that although Caucasian woman have a higher rate of breast cancer compared to African American women, Caucasian women have a higher rate of survival. This finding is indeed a disparity in heath care, and one that begs the question as to why this is so. The reasons as to why this disparity exists are numerous and very complex. Several factors play a role in substantiating the disparity in mortality rates related to breast cancer in African American women, including differences in spirituality and religion, differences in education surrounding breast cancer, and differences in socio economic standing as it relates to ones health promotion
After the Great Depression the United States implemented several programs to assist the American people with low income and disabilities (Dingell, 2015). Within these programs included Medicaid and Medicare, which were not set up to serve for the purpose of long-term care for seniors. Today we find that due to the set up of the programs there is a void in the assistance of long term care of seniors in our country (Dingell, 2015).
In a country where many believe the hatchet of racism was buried with its first black president, many people of color, both non-black and black are still frustrated and disappointed in the progress to be made. Many progressives prefer to see America as a colorblind nation, a nation where if you work hard and do right, you 'll fulfill the American Dream. Often this dream is accompanied with challenge after challenge for people of color. Of course what first must be asked is if racism is still present in our justice system and in the fabric of our country? What must be understood first is that answers to these complex issues are never black or white, which leaves far too much gray area to be discussed.
The Ethnic minority populations, such as the African Americans, are more likely to be physically inert and experience higher levels of obesity and other sustained conditions than the other ethnic majority counterparts. This disparity may be connected in part to socio-economic status, lack of access to healthful foods and exercise facilities, and varying access to and utilization of health care services .The African Americans are likely impacted by both numerous factors such as self efficacy, and unsafe environments . Becoming more physically active demand cost and safety due to poor access and utilization of health services (de Oliveira et al., 2016).
There exist significant racial disparities in nursing home (NH) care quality. Although some improvements have been made in recent years, Blacks are still more likely to receive suboptimal care in this setting, compared to Whites (1). Blacks are also more likely to be admitted to poorer quality NH’s than Whites (2). There also tend to be racial disparities in psychosocial well-being among NH residents, as determined by lower social engagement among Blacks versus Whites (3). These findings are particularly alarming provided that the proportion of Blacks aged 65 and older who live in NH’s has increased dramatically, while the number of Whites in NH’s has declined (4).
The most frustrating thing about Ms. Goodman’s job is the lack of funding from the state of Tennessee. She says that, “Memphis is the poorest area of Tennessee, yet the state government gives the same amount of money to Memphis as they do Nashville and Knoxville. Those cities have many more resources available and a much lower population of individuals that are dependent on the government assistance” (J. Goodman, personal communication, September 15, 2016). According to Ms. Goodman, there is only one assisted living facility in Memphis that accepts Tennessee government healthcare (TennCare), and there is a very long waiting list. The only option that leaves available is to place people prematurely into nursing homes, or leave them in their homes where they often do not get the help that they need (J. Goodman, personal communication, September 15, 2016).
Thesis Statement People think that putting their loved ones in senior home centers or assisted living centers will benefit them due to the way they think they're going to be treated. When in reality most of the time it's not that way. Many are very unorganized,they abuse the elderly, and patients aren't getting the attention they need. Senior homes are meant to make the patients feel like they're at home.
The important historical experience of African Americans in our country has been shaped by the institution of slavery, dehumanization of blacks, segregation, pursuit of civil rights, and racism in contemporary American society. Disparities in health care provide compelling evidence that issues of race or skin color for the descendants of slaves and other ethnic minorities persist in the 21st century. Nurses providing care for African Americans must bridge the racial divide and incorporate culturally relevant content in the health history. As
The last cause is cultural expectation toward race. People’s attitudes of African Americans tend to be biased due to the belief that African Americans are dangerous so they should be separated from other students as well as they are not as smart as people from Europe. Therefore, the article provides some possible solutions that would address this problem, many points should be taken in to consideration. First, we have to accept the fact of racial disparities instead of blaming. Second, we have to acknowledge our different prospective on race and racial disparities and what matters is how to find solution for this problem regardless of our different reactions to this issue. Finally, Developing a sophisticated response to intervention (RTI) to
In Being Mortal, Atul Gawande painted a little depressing picture of the realities faced by the elderly in the US nowadays: declining health status, economic insecurity, and loss of independence. It seems once the older people move into nursing homes or assisted living facilities, they lose autonomy, dignity and privacy as the institutions are not able to fully individualize care. Even though the situation has been improving, it still shocks me to see how unhappy some of the elderly are in these circumstances. Realizing senior care facilities often fail to address all aspects of well-being, I would like to explore the issues of promoting both objective and subjective component in quality of care for the older people.