How Social Determinants of Health for The Older Adult Are Impacted for Those Living in Poverty.

How Social Determinants of Health for The Older Adult Are Impacted for Those Living in Poverty.

The social determinants of health for the elderly are impacted by poverty because it prevents the achievement of basic needs. The elderly require proper social determinants to ensure they live their healthy lives to the fullest (Northwood et al.,2018). These social determinants of health include food, shelter, environment, social interaction, close friends, family, and income.

Poverty can make it difficult for older adults to access healthcare due to a lack of funds for transportation or medications (Northwood et al.,2018). Older adults living in poverty may not have access to preventative care such as flu vaccines which could result in illness later on down the line that would require more intensive treatment.

Poor living conditions can increase the risk of disease and disability among older adults by exposing them to environmental hazards such as mold or lead paint (Streeter et al.,2020). These exposures may also be linked to cognitive decline and dementia. Living in substandard housing can lead to respiratory infections such as pneumonia because of mold growth on surfaces that are not cleaned regularly (Thornton & Persaud,2018). Lack of insulation leads to increased heating costs during cold weather, affecting older people.

How Social Determinants of Health for The Older Adult Are Impacted for Those Living in Poverty.

Lack of access to quality healthcare is another way poverty impacts older adults’ health because it limits their ability to receive preventive care services that could help prevent illness or injury from occurring in the first place (Streeter et al.,2020). This makes it more difficult for people who live in poverty to manage existing chronic conditions effectively because they do not receive regular checkups with their physicians (Thornton & Persaud,2018). Since older adults living in poverty may not have access to health insurance and therefore do not have access to prescription drugs that could help manage chronic conditions.

Older adults living in poverty often have difficulty accessing affordable healthy food due to limited income or transportation issues (Streeter et al.,2020). Eating healthy food is important for maintaining good health because it helps older adults maintain a healthy weight, reducing their risk for chronic diseases. Since they need more money for nutritious food and enough time to cook healthy meals (Thornton & Persaud,2018), this leads to poor nutrition and obesity, which increases the risk of developing chronic diseases.

How Social Determinants of Health for The Older Adult Are Impacted for Those Living in Poverty.

Older adults living in poverty are more likely to live alone, which means they are less likely to have support from others and lack social support from family members when they need it most since they require help for home care (Thornton & Persaud,2018). This could lead to feelings of isolation, depression, and loneliness. Living alone may also interfere with access to medical care and medications because it is difficult for family members to assist them when they become sick. Additionally, many older adults living alone do not have sufficient funds to pay their mortgage, which may affect their mental health.

References

Northwood, M., Ploeg, J., Markle‐Reid, M., & Sherifali, D. (2018). An integrative review of the social determinants of health in older adults with multimorbidity. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 74(1), 45-60. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jan.13408

Streeter, R. A., Snyder, J. E., Kepley, H., Stahl, A. L., Li, T., & Washko, M. M. (2020). The geographic alignment of primary care Health Professional Shortage Areas with markers for social determinants of health. PloS one, 15(4), e0231443. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0231443

Thornton, M., & Persaud, S. (2018). Preparing today’s nurses: Social determinants of health and nursing education. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(3). http://ojin.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJ IN/TableofContents/Vol-23-2018/No3-Sept-2018/Social-Determinants-of-Health- Nursing-Education.html

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Healthy aging is an important public health issue, both nationally and internationally. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes healthy aging as a process whereby all people of all ages are able to live a healthy, safe, and socially inclusive lifestyle.

How Social Determinants of Health for The Older Adult Are Impacted for Those Living in Poverty.

Discuss how social determinants of health for the older adult are impacted for those living in poverty.

Instructions: 

Word limit 500 words.  Please make sure to provide citations and references (in APA, 7th ed. format) for your work from 2019 to date.