Comprehensive Analysis of Aging- Defining Problems, Population Impact, and Cultural Implications
Aging
Aging is a physiological process that is brought about by many factors related to genetic and biological factors. All the members of the population are subjected to aging since it’s part of a normal life cycle of not only human beings but also all living human beings. Many biological determinants determine the aging mechanisms such as genomic instability, telomere shortening, and cellular senescence. Despite being a natural biological process, aging is associated with health complications that compromise the aging process and consequently lead to increased health needs for the old, hence requiring more care and attention to the aging (Li et al., 2021).
The aging population includes individuals aged over 65. They can be categorized into other age groups based on their age differences. Disparities in the health outcomes of the elderly and access to care among them depend on factors such as socio-economic status, cultural background, and educational level. Due to the multifaceted health issues surrounding aging, it is important to look into these issues and propose solutions to solve cultural, financial, legal, and ethical hindrances to healthy aging. Recently, there has been an increased human lifespan due to improved field research and technological advancements that have influenced medical interventions, consequently increasing life expectancy. However, the increased life expectancy does not correspond to the health of the people as they age. It is evident that some health conditions, such as neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, metabolic disorders, and some cancers, may affect all age groups but have more prevalence among the aged (Li et al., 2021).
This paper aims to elucidate the implications that come with aging. These implications range from physical decline to cognitive impairments. Age-related discrimination and isolation lead to limited access to resources and services that can improve their healthy aging. The main problems are financial constraints, decreased productivity due to associated atrophy of the body muscles, increased susceptibility to many disorders, and long-term exposure to risk factors by their old age (Li et al., 2021).
Aging and Dementia
Aging affects the biological, social, and psychological changes that affect individuals differently. In this assignment, the topic selected is the neurodegenerative disorder more specifically dementia that has increased prevalence among the elderly. It is characterized by a continuous cognitive decline that includes memory loss, impaired judgment, and behavior changes (Lee & Kim, 2022). As people age, there is an increased risk of developing dementia. The increased risk of dementia among the aging is associated with the physiological process that involves brain atrophy hence contributing to the increased cognitive decline and potentiated mental symptoms with increased aging (Lee & Kim, 2022).
Cultural implications
Many cultures associate aging with respect, wisdom, and reverence for the elders. Old age places individuals at an ideal position to have experienced much more about life and are therefore believed to be custodians of knowledge and experiences which are of great value to the community. However, with the onset of dementia, these cultural implications concerning dementia can be compromised due to loss of memory. This leads to stigma imposed on the old due to the impending burden of care to the members of the community. At times, dementia in among the old is overlooked due to lack of proper insight into the condition and this subjects the old to social isolation hence limited support which consequently leads to overall poor health (Karasawa et al., 2011). To improve the quality of life of the individuals living with dementia, it is important to incorporate culturally sensitive approaches which include acceptance, understanding, and improved accessibility to care.
The cultural practices may influence the type of care given to the aging. These practices may include norms in the society which may include caring for the old as their norm. This therefore serves as an advantage not only to the old but also to the society at large due to the decreased burden of care that may be required from the hired professionals who might be available to offer their services at a cost. In the caring of the old, cultural competence is essential for the caregivers, they should be able to comprehend the diverse cultural ideologies from different cultural backgrounds. This helps to structure a patient-centered care approach that is achieved through collaboration with community leaders, religious leaders, and cultural organizations. This helps overcome all the cultural barriers to caring for the old with dementia.
Financial, Ethical and legal implications
Significant financial burdens are imposed on individuals, families, and the healthcare system by the cost of management of old people with dementia. The caregivers undergo financial strain to cater to the needs of the old as well as emotional stress emanating from the challenges associated with care for family members with dementia. On the other hand, there is a need to address ethical and legal implications concerning the care of these individuals with dementia. Ethical issues may include, decision-making, informed consent, care preferences, and confidentiality. The main legal issues revolve around the maintenance of the rights and dignity of the old. Despite their condition of dementia, they should be treated with dignity just as other patients are treated (Podgorica et al., 2020).
Interventions
To improve the quality of life of the old there is a need to put in place interventions that facilitate the promotion of health and prevention of disabilities associated with old age. These interventions aim at improving access to health services and social support programs. For instance, there is a need for comprehensive health services that include early detection and management of diseases to improve the overall health of individuals. The care should also embrace multidisciplinary collaboration to provide holistic patient care (Livingston et al., 2020).
Finally, resources must be raised to meet the needs of providing for the elderly. At times, deficits in care may emanate from the inadequacy of resources required in the provision of care. To address this problem, the families and individuals taking care of the old should be able to access social support programs. These programs should promote socialization opportunities, enlighten about the care of the old, and also provide resources to alleviate the financial burden imposed by the care of the old. Individuals suffering from age-related dementia may be subjected to cognitive stimulation activities, which may boost their sense of connection to nature and, in turn, show the efficacy of other therapeutic programs (Livingston et al., 2020).
Resources available
The availability of resources greatly affects the care of the old. This, therefore, necessitates the need to explore the available resources that can be used to promote the well-being of the old. These resources may provide health care coverage for the old, hence reducing the health costs burden; an example is Medicare and Medicaid. Also, the resources may target the caregivers where they can provide education on how to care for the old in their custody. These resources include non-profit organizations such as Alzheimer’s Association for educational resources and other community resources.
There are costs associated with the implementation of these interventions. The costs encompass the initial capital to set up the non-profit organizations. Secondly, medical costs are encountered during the medical interventions to treat the comorbid conditions. The initial costs of the management of the old with dementia are at times high but have a positive impact on the overall healthcare costs due to its long-term services, early detection, and interventions that mitigate the possibility of complications. However, to avoid unexpected financial burdens, there is a need to provide a sustainable financing approach that addresses the increasing need for care.
To ensure the sustainability of the care of old people with dementia, there is a need to have multidisciplinary coordination among the involved stakeholders, including healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers. Secondly, proper research should be promoted and encourage innovativeness that can lead to the establishment of ways to mitigate the health problems associated with aging. Lastly, policies should be implanted to promote access to care, promote the caregiver’s support, and promote the creation of a healthy environment that can meet the needs of the aging population.
References
Karasawa, M., Curhan, K. B., Markus, H. R., Kitayama, S. S., Love, G. D., Radler, B. T., & Ryff, C. D. (2011). Cultural Perspectives on Aging and Well-Being: A Comparison of Japan and the United States. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 73(1), 73–98. https://doi.org/10.2190/ag.73.1.d
Lee, J., & Kim, H.-J. (2022). Normal Aging Induces Changes in the Brain and Neurodegeneration Progress: Review of the Structural, Biochemical, Metabolic, Cellular, and Molecular Changes. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.931536
Li, Z., Zhang, Z., Ren, Y., Wang, Y., Fang, J., Yue, H., Ma, S., & Guan, F. (2021). Aging and age‐related diseases: from mechanisms to therapeutic strategies. Biogerontology, 22(2), 165–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-021-09910-5
Livingston, G., Huntley, J., Sommerlad, A., Ames, D., Ballard, C., Banerjee, S., Brayne, C., Burns, A., Cohen-Mansfield, J., Cooper, C., Costafreda, S. G., Dias, A., Fox, N., Gitlin, L. N., Howard, R., Kales, H. C., Kivimäki, M., Larson, E. B., Ogunniyi, A., & Orgeta, V. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 396(10248), 413–446. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6
Podgorica, N., Flatscher-Thöni, M., Deufert, D., Siebert, U., & Ganner, M. (2020). A systematic review of ethical and legal issues in elder care. Nursing Ethics, 28(6), 895–910. https://doi.org/10.1177/0969733020921488
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Question 
In a Microsoft Word document of 5-6 pages formatted in APA style conduct an in-depth analysis of a pertinent topic related to aging. Include the following in your analysis:
• Define the problem.
Comprehensive Analysis of Aging- Defining Problems, Population Impact, and Cultural Implications
•
Identify the specific population affected.
Describe cultural implications.
Describe financial/legal/ethical implications for the population related to the problem.
• Describe 2-3 interventions that can be used to improve the problem.
• Describe resources available to improve the problem.
• Describe costs associated with the interventions identified.
Discussed the sustainability of the interventions.