Eric Klinenberg's Ethnographic Analysis Of Meals On Wheels

In conclusion, elderly Americans face many obstacles as they grow in age, such as ageism, workforce discrimination, poverty,

According to Heller and Factor (as cited in Wood & Jackson, 2003) the number of “older adults age 60 and older who are diagnosed with mental retardation or developmental disabilities is expected to reach 1,065,000 by 2030.” In fact, “in the last 30 years, the life expectancy of people with intellectual disability has increased more dramatically than that of the general population” (Bigby, 2010). Doka and Lavin (2003) report that advances in medical care and a shift to deinstitutionalization have contributed to this increase in life expectancy for developmentally disabled adults. Increasingly, federal policy has linked addressing the housing needs of older adults with those of low-income and non-elderly disabled individuals, according to

Children: sons Adam Offit, David Offitt and Yoni Offitt –all three sons are in their early-to-mid-twenties.

Vulnerability, or the susceptibility to a form of harm, results from an interaction between the resources available to the elderly and communities and the life challenges they face. Vulnerability results from developmental problems, personal incapacities, disadvantaged social status, inadequate formal health care coverage, inadequacy of interpersonal networks and supports, degraded neighborhoods and environments, and the complex interactions of these factors over the life course (Mechanic, 2012). When researched several types of vulnerable populations

In recent years, there has been research involving the causes and consequences of poor nutrition among the elderly. Researchers continually work to distinguish risk factors of inadequate nutrition; the factors of most concern are “poor appetite, functional limitations, limited income, and social isolation” (Lirette, Podovennikoff, Wismer, Tondu, Klatt, 2007). Individuals at highest risk are those who live at home with a lack of family support (Krondl, Coleman, Lau, 2008). The diets of many elderly people are often low in calories and lacking important nutrients. All of these factors can affect the health and quality of life in the older adult. Nutrition plays a significant role in the health of

Meals on Wheels, an organization that feeds elderly who can’t feed themselves, is planned to get some of its funding cut off with the president’s new financial plan. Meals on Wheels has been feeding the unfortunate since the 1950’s (Carroll A10), leaving this organization to rely on public funding is not a solution to government spending. This organization improves the diets and lives of many elderly by giving them food for their specific needs, and giving them someone who comes and visits. Older people should not be just ignored, their resources are important too. This is grandparents and parents that need, or will need, this kind of help. President Trump can not pretend that the elderly are not people too,

All over the news and in different programs that are implemented are set in place are geared toward children in poverty. Poverty in children is a huge problem happening all over the country but what about the elderly. We get so focus on helping the children that the elderly can sometimes be looked over and forgotten about. In Texas, 17% of all elderly are living in poverty. Poverty in the elderly is an issue that continues to rise at a fast pace and this may be because of food insecurity that they may face (Communities Foundation of Texas, 2016). Most people feel like getting old is so far in the future for them, or just the idea of aging is too hard to think about but getting old for all of us is imminent. The elderly once took care of us, so it is

Volunteering is considered doing a good deed in which can help to implement development skills such as, meeting new people. Who knew that enjoying yourself and meeting new people will be such fun while volunteering your time and assistance in helping someone else? Preparing and packaging hot food to be delivered to senior citizens in the local community really made me feel like a did a great deed!

We also offer subsidies for those of low-income to help bridge the gap of whether to pay the rent or eat. According to Stats Canada, more than 12 per cent of all Ontario senior citizens fall below the Low Income Measure, which defines and determines poverty. That number hits 27 per cent when looking at seniors who are also single. This is particularly troubling given that seniors are expected to make up 23 per cent of the population by the year 2030. The stress on single person households is also a cause for concern in the report. The basic income gap for Ontarians in these homes falls 33 per cent under the 2014 poverty line of $19,774, while someone on the provincial disability support program falls 60 per cent below this

The United States Department of Health has an overarching goal “to eliminate health disparities.” This term has no absolute definition. It is most often defined as “health differences that occur by gender, race or ethnicity, education or income, disability, living in rural localities, or sexual orientation,” or “population specific difference in the presence of disease, health outcomes, or access to care.” Many factors cause health disparities. Older adults face challenges in one or all of these disparities. Depending on their living conditions and life-time health problems, they may be in double or triple jeopardy, increasing their risk for serious illness and need for eldercare.

The Older American Act of 1965, was a demonstration to help give help with the advancement of new or enhanced projects to help elderly individuals through earnings to the conditions of group arranging, directions, and preparing. Over the past couple centuries, Meals on Wheels has progressed over time. Meals on Wheels is found the whole way across America. There are a large number of areas that give to an entire scope of individuals with various explanations behind requiring this administration. This administration was picked on the grounds that it gives importance, satisfaction and life to our elderly seniors who feel that they do not have anything to do or anticipate. This keeps their mind dynamic and in addition giving their bodies the supplements

According to an article in the Health Affairs Journal there are approximately 60 million American citizens covered by state based Medicaid and Medicare programs. These individuals are at the highest risk of facing chronic health issues and has issues with their ability to access quality health care services. Low income seniors and adults with disabilities make up the vulnerable population within the United States. These individuals are the sickest and poorest individuals within the community and are dually eligible for government assisted health programs, Medicaid and Medicare. Based on an article written by Rostai, Russell, Peng, Brickner, Kurowski, and Sheehan, within today’s society, caring for the vulnerable population is fragmented,

What the article may have insinuated was that of the importance of care for the elderly, but also may have enforced elderly stereotypes. The articled talked about getting intensive geriatric service workers for those in need. An intensive geriatric service work would be someone who comes by to help a person who cannot do so on their own, such as visiting to make sure their eating and being taken care of, without them having to be in a home (The Record, 2010, B3). As the article portrays the elderly in a stereotypical way, we must move past it and realise that stereotype is not something we should follow. The reason for not following the stereotype of elderly, being portrayed as weak and always in need of help is the difference between chronological age and physical age (Lesson 8, 2016, p.2). The difference between the two is how one is compared to how old they may feel, some elderly feel as though they are younger than they are and that they do not require help or assistance. What research offers us is those who exercise regularly, eat healthier, and stimulate the brain with cognitive tasks as they get older, are at less chance of cognitive depletion, as in decrease in proper brain functioning as they age, such as memory loss, and even physical deterioration

Home-delivered meals are designed to provide nutritious meals to homebound senior citizens, particularly those that live alone. These meal programs can improve the life and health of vulnerable, at-risk seniors within American communities.

As the life expectancy in the United States rises, the number of elderly in the population has also expanded. These increases have led to the oldest-old (people aged 90 and older) to become the fastest growing age group in the country. The oldest-old face many unique challenges because of their age, one of which is disability. Disability in the elderly has major impact upon society 1 and will continue will be a growing burden in years to come.