Older Adult Population

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

The Older Americans Act (OAA) funds critical services that keep older adults healthy and independent—services like meals, job training, senior centers, caregiver support, transportation, health promotion, benefits enrollment, and more. The Act is overdue for reauthorization—and Congress needs to seize this opportunity to update and renew its commitment to these programs and those they serve. To ensure America’s aging population is able to maintain and live healthy lives provisions are needed to the current OAA. These provisions include:

The demographic characteristics of the senior population has been changing over time. The rise in diversity and the geographic placement of seniors can provide an opportunity to examine their use of the social program SNAP. Characteristics of food insecurity such a geography and race correlate with higher rates of food insecurity and as these same characteristics continue to grow in the senior population. Since seniors have the lowest rates of SNAP participation versus other age groups, and their rates of food insecurity continue to grow it is important to examine what characteristics impact the likelihood of SNAP take up among this population.

In 1965 the first Aging American’s Act was passed. This legislation was part of Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society reform. In passing this legislation nearly 50 years ago, the government created a new department the focused on the rights and needs of the gaining population called the United States Administration on Aging. The original legislation was complete with seven titles. The articles include Title I—the Declaration of Objectives for Older Americans; Title II—Establishment of Administration on aging; Title III—Grants for state and community programs on aging; Title IV—Activities for health and independence, and longevity; Title V—Community service senior opportunities act; Title VI—Grants

addition, the policy indirectly supports the families of the elderly. It does so by offering services to caregivers that prevent or shorten costly nursing home placements, relieving financial strain, and providing educational programs to give a better understanding of aging. However, due to insufficient funding OAA services have restricted access and cannot reach all the elderly in need. Statistical demographics reveal that 27% of seniors that are receiving services are below the poverty line, recipients are more likely to be female (71% vs 57%), twice as likely to be rural, more likely to live alone, have less income, less educated, and less healthy than the average senior (Herrera 2013).

Aging Americans, like other age groups, are feeling the effects of the declining real estate and stock markets, as well as soaring fuel and food prices. Seniors’ economic security will only increase in importance as the U.S. population ages. The nation’s health and social services resources will face unprecedented demand as 75 million people in the baby boomer generation reach retirement age—some with eroded savings and retirement accounts. Aging people of color are more likely than white

There has been an increasingly large amount of awareness placed on the governments role in prevention and standards for the control of health care and communicable diseases. In this growing effort are provisions applying to long-term health and stipulations for proper treatment and care. Gradually, a shift from local community efforts to care for the elder has transferred to a prominent government role. Several committees have been created to assist with the implementation and over view of care and acts to instigate change. Amongst the major changes that have been set in place effecting long-term care, was the passage of the Social Security Act of 1935 and Medicaid insurance.

The objective of this study is to examine the evolution of programs and services for aging population over the last fifty years. Toward this end, this brief study will conduct a review of literature that addresses these shifts and changes in policy. The timeline of the history of the services and pogroms for the aging population in the United States is shown in the following timeline and an explanation for these develops will next follow the timeline.

The elderly, or senior citizens, have always been considered a vulnerable population, physically, mentally, and socially. This population faces a variety of problems every day including many economic struggles. Older adults and the elderly are facing many financial challenges that may not have been anticipated. In spite of good planning and sensible living, their resources may be sorely compromised, sometimes destroyed. What can be done to help this population through the transition into retirement? There are programs that do assist them including Social Security, Medicare and Pensions, however is it enough? The Social Security Act of 1935 along with Medicare have helped many Americans since they have been around and have

Instead of relying on income from previous occupation, the elderly population, income will fixate, resulting in dependency on their 401k saving plan and other government related programs to assist with activities of daily living. This is why I choose to work with this population, to ensure that dignity, worth, and respect of a person is maintained. However, the aging population should not feel that they are being treated as a burden by the government or their families. In the United States, we undermine our aging population by treating them as though they are not of any value. In reference to this mistreatment towards the aging population can cause issues such as unemployment, health, and elder abuse.

Social and health issues can have a substantial influence on life. Previous to Medicare, some programs attempted to assist the aging population, but they unsuccessful met the demands of their medical needs. The state's resources were limited making those funds accessible to assists those in need. Congress begins to perceive a significant increase in healthcare cost among the old, making it impossible for them to afford health insurance as their incomes gradually declined (Social Security Administration, n.d.). During Johnson presidency, he made it a precedence to ensure that older Americans would have necessary protection against healthcare and its rising cost.

Everyday everyone becomes older, adding on to the “200,000 (Gultekin)” elderly population in America, “it is expected that the number of homeless individuals over the age of 50 will double by the year 2030 (Gultekin).” Many of the aging people must tolerant the cruelty of society. The elderly become invisible to a lot of people. Often, the elderly get mistreated making their last living day a misery. The elderly, who live with homelessness suffer physically, financially, and in their health making them the most vulnerable in the society.

Taking care of our senior parents is extremely important year round. Aging adults worry about keeping their independence and having to become a burden on a family member. Summertime for seniors can be extremely hard because of high heat temperatures. During the summer months most people like to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Many people enjoy gardening, planting flowers or just tending to their lawn, but aging seniors are limited to their activities. For those who are not able to do yard work they may still enjoy sitting out and watching their friends and neighbors.

The American population is getting older which presents us with many challenges but also present us with potential opportunities. With the length of life and quantity and fraction of older persons rise in most industrialized and many evolving nations, a crucial question is whether this population will be accompanied by continued or better-quality health, an improving quality of life, and adequate social and cost-effective resources. This answer lies in the ability of peoples and societies, as well as modern social, governmental, financial, and health service delivery systems, to provide optimum assistance to older persons.

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.