Evaluating Support and Care Strategies for Homeless Families

Evaluating Support and Care Strategies for Homeless Families

Information Needed For a Complete Assessment

The impact that homelessness has on children and, more so, on young children has the potential to have devastating effects and can result in delays in development, behavioural health problems, and delayed learning milestones (Haskett, Armstrong & Tisdale, 2015). In assessing the family, additional information that will be needed includes every family member’s demographics to determine if Sally has relatives who would be willing to foster her children; the history of homelessness and housing problem; Sally’s level of education and her employment needs, including her benefits and income; and safety of the mother and children such as domestic violence (Freed et al., 2012). Sally will also need to be assessed for mental and trauma screening. This is because maternal depression has been linked to impacting family, children, and mother’s functioning (Freed et al., 2012). A homeless mother is likely to suffer from depression at four times the probability of their counterparts. The children will also need to be screened for developmental milestones (Freed et al., 2012).

Will This Family Be Worse Off When Released From The Hospital?

No, they will not, as long as social services put the kids up in a foster home. The foster home will provide the children with a temporary place to stay. While at the foster home, the elder child will get the chance to go to school. The two children will also access social services and medical care. More than 77 percent of children are placed in foster care with their relatives, while the remainder is placed in group homes (iFoster, n.d). If Sally has no immediate family that can foster her children, they will be taken to a group home. The goal of the foster home is to reunify the children once it is established that the mother is able to provide for them a home and basic needs and also when it is established that she is not a danger to her children (iFoster, n.d).

Community Resources For Homeless Families That Could Be Activated In The Small Town

Community resources refer to the programs that community organizations, such as faith-based and non-governmental organizations provide. These programs access funding from government grants, foundations, and corporate or individual donors. Volunteers, students, or staff may carry out community service activities. It is critical for the town to have a diverse service range for those who have complex needs, such as people without homes. These categories of persons need affordable, secure, and stable housing in addition to a diverse array of supportive services. The supportive services should be tailored in accordance with geographical location, disability, sexual orientation, cultural background, and psychological needs.

The programs established in the town could offer services like life-sustaining support such as medical assistance, clothing, shelter, and food; interventions for persons who are victimized such as legal assistance and crisis counselling; activities to keep at-risk youth occupied such as counselling and recreation; families’ children support and child care services; employment services for adults and youth such as resume writing and computer skills; English classes and settlement services for new immigrants; services for isolated and frail seniors; health and wellness promotion, interpersonal dispute mediation; internet access; community meeting spaces access; and arts and self-help groups.

Aspects That Prevent The Family From Falling Through Economic Cracks That Will Prevent Developmental Assessments And Treatments

Homeless people have a range of complex co-occurring medical conditions, yet these are disengaged from accessing healthcare services. This places a significantly large burden on the acute care system. The barriers that prevent the homeless from accessing healthcare can be practical and also personal. These include poor health and illness, competing priorities and needs, physically accessing health services, challenges in contacting healthcare services, healthcare affordability, and medication security. Additionally, the differences in social status and the homeless’ perception of being judged can result in relationship barriers that hinder access to healthcare. The key solutions should comprise prioritizing access to healthcare services, stable housing, and generalized practice for specialized homeless, coordinated care and discharge planning, hospital in-reach, general practice outreach, and centres for medical recovery (Davis & Wood, 2019).

Finding Rewards In Being A Street Nurse?

No, I would not. A street nurse helps provide basic healthcare services to homeless people. The nurses go to parks, tents pitched along rivers, and under overpasses, among other places, to reach homeless people. I have a phobia of getting mugged. I also believe it would have a significant emotional toll on me, which may interfere with my rendering of sober services to people without homes. While it is a noble and caring course to follow, street nursing is not something I would be passionate about doing.

References

Davies, A. and Wood, L.J.  (2019). Homeless health care: meeting the challenges of providing primary care. https://www.mja.com.au/system/files/issues/209_05/10.5694mja17.01264.pdf

Freed, R.D., Chan, P.T., Dingman Boger, K., Tompson, M.C. (2012). Enhancing maternal depression recognition in health care settings: A review of strategies to improve detection, reduce barriers, and reach mothers in need. Families, Systems, and Health, 30 (1), 1-18.

Haskett, M., Armstrong, J.M. & Tisdale, J.(2015). Developmental Status and Social-Emotional Functioning of Young Children Experiencing Homelessness. Early Childhood Education Journal, doi 10.1007/s10643-015-0691-8.

iFoster (n.d). How Does The Foster Care System Work? https://www.ifoster.org/how-does-the-foster-care-system-work/

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An Analysis of the Sally Anne Case Study

Sally Anne, aged 19, brought two children into the emergency room. The 6-month-old boy’s complaints are a cold with mild fever, fatigue, vomiting with dry coughing spells, decreased intake of cola (2 ounces every 3 hours—her version of clear liquids), one scraped diaper per 12 hours—the diaper is not soaked so Mom recycles it after scrapping off the solids. The child’s cry is weak, red eyes, sneezing moves thick mucus, prolonged cough, high-pitched noise during intake. The child’s condition did not improve over the last 24 hours.

The family of three lives in the family sedan parked behind a service station due to Mom’s fear of lack of shelter safety. Turk, the 3-year-old, sports bruises on their arms and legs, and a knot on his forehead. He appears semiconscious (responds to light pain), coughs when disturbed, refuses fluids and food, and pulls away from touch. Mother states that he has been sick for more than a week, but she is concerned that he has not been as fussy the last 24 hours. His skin tents when pinched. Sally Anne believes he lost weight but has not used a scale. Turk does not look adults in the eye or follow a finger point. He moans but has not communicated with words. He appears to fantasize, and fingerplays violently. His fingers seem to attack each other. He does not seem to listen nor does he respond to questions. Both children are wearing dirty clothing. Mom is exhausted and asks for help with formula and diapers.

An Analysis of the Sally Anne Case Study

Treatment: Both children were kept overnight for assessment in a room with a bathroom and couch. Mother permitted to bathe and wash children’s clothing after their baths. Cooling mist tent ordered. Children are placed next to each other for convenience and for precautions. The social worker is involved in discharge planning. The boys are placed on IVs for hydration and given clear fluids for drinking. Antibiotics are placed in the IV.

1. What information is needed for a complete assessment?
2. Will this family be worse off when released from the hospital? What community resources for homeless families could be activated in the small town? What prevents the family from falling through economic cracks that will prevent developmental assessments and treatments? Would you find reward in being a street nurse, would this be a specialty of nursing that you would consider?

Two (2) references: Googles scholar not Google