Question

The instrumental needs of older adults 65 years -74 years are; Income, Housing, Personal Care, Healthcare, Transportation, and Community Facilities and Services. Explain how these adults affected in terms of their instrumental needs?

Answer 1

Answer:

Income

Aging usually means increasing expenses for health care and home maintanance as per thieir retirement needs.Increasing premium or co payment cost of long term care insurance policies may not be affordable for all of them as well as the changes in housing needs may not be affordable for all of them, and it will badly affect their quality of life.

Housing

During the course of retirement, the housing requirement may change rapidly as a result of household composition, decreased mobility, and increased morbidity.There are four major needs comes under housing for elderly such as appropriateness, accessibility, adequacy and affordability.Most of the elder population needs special modification due to their physical disabilities . Elders may live in an affordable housing, but it may not be appropriate for these special needs or certain housing may be accessible for them but they may not be affordable.For that elderly may need relocation,but this might be streesful for them due to some adjustment problems.

Personal care

However most of the elders are able to care themselves, there are certain numbers, who require personal assistance in activities of daily life like eating, bathing, toileting, getting outside and in some home managed task like housekeeping , transporation e.t.c.For those who live with the family, spouse or other family members may involve in providing the care. But for others,care giver may be required to attain these functions. Appointing a care giver may not be possible for all elders due to their low income.

Health care

Health care is the major issue among the elder population.Health problems and usage of health care services like dental care, visual aids, medical equipment, long term care etc are increases with age. Without insurance policies elders can not move forward smoothly on their health care needs,buit certain insurance policies may not cover such needs.

Transportation

Transportation is of prime importance to elders because it enables them to independant.Some elders who have always driven their own automobiles eventually find they are no longer able to do so.The ever increasing cost of parchasing and maintaining an automobile some times become prohibitive. Also with the age comes physical problemsrestricts one's ability to operate it safely. So most of the elderly give up theirdriving as the age progressand the will be in need to depend public transports or taxis. But the increased taxi fare,inadequate scheduling or routing of public transportmight be abig issue for elders.

Community facilities and services

Because of the limitations of elderly and barriers( like income, transportation,ill health), they have special needs like nutrition, rehabilitation,preventive and therapeutic services, in regards to community facilities and services.If they are not met with these needs, they are confronted with anything from slight inconvinience to a very poor quality of life.