According to the United States Census Office, one in ten older adults in the US or 5.9 million people 65 years old or around, lives in poverty, although the percentage varies from one state to another. In the district of Columbia, it is 22%. Today, poverty in our old population is growing faster than in any other age group.
These alarming statistics highlight a critical public health problem that, when combined with the social determinants of health (SDOH), such as access to medical care, nutrition, reliable transport and safe homes, poses serious health risks, deepens socio -economic disparities and negatively impacts the quality of life between the population of our old one.
How poverty and SDOH impact health results
The connection between poverty, SDOH and results is complex and varied. For example, poverty and growing medical care costs have led to an epidemic or non -adherence to medicines in our elderly population. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that 20% of older adults should not fill in recipes and jump dose or reduce medications by half due to cost.
As individuals age, they will generally have more chronic diseases and serious health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. As these conditions are chronic health problems, they are more exempt to treat and manage and generally require strict medication protocols. When patients do not take medications as prescribed, their conditions can get worse. This can result in a deterioration of health, which can lead to visits to the emergency room, hospitalizations and a potentially longer time in a rehabilitation center. Ultimately, this increases costs for our health system and our elders, creating a cycle of poverty -based medical care risks.
In addition, older people living in poverty levels may experience more significant social risks that affect their health. They can live in areas where they feel insecure leaving their homes. They can lack reliable transport to reach their medical appointments or treatment services. They are also more likely to live in food deserts where healthy food is not easily available. The complex problems of poverty and poor quality of life have a significant impact on the health and general well -being of individuals.
A substantial problem that affects the health of those who live in poverty is the impact composed of depression. The National Aging Council informs that up to 5% of older adults in the United States suffer from major depression. Health problems such as chronic pain, chronic conditions such as cancer and arthritis, reduced mobility and lack of physical activity play a prominent role in the contribution to unprecedented depression levels. Other taxpayers include poor dream and lack of adequate nutrition, dental problems not addressed, the inability to provide healthy foods or lack of education about the importance of eating in a healthy way. They can also have the ability to drive or lack reliable transport to the grocery store.
Although access to good mental health is a challenge in all generations, it is special for older people, since they face higher levels of social isolation, which can deepen depression. This is related to the significant loss of loved ones and friends of a lot of time. Depression treatment can be inhibited by older people who do not know or recognize the symptoms of depression, as well as the acceptance of stigma around talking about mental health or seeking help. These problems are the reason why mental health conditions in the elderly are enormously undergoing.
Strategies to improve
Addressing poverty and social risks in older people require a collaborative approach. Medical care providers, social services, mental health associations, community organizations and local, state and federal agencies must work together to increase financial support and a better direction that prevails within the senior population. This includes improving access to healthy medical care and food, creating affordable housing in safe envies and providing education on nutrition, compliance with medications, mental health and the importance of staying connected.
The time to act is now
Poverty significantly impacts the mental and physical health of older adults. The lack of access to care and non -approached SDOH problems lead to poorly managed chronic conditions, treatment delays, not adherence to medicines and less use of preventive services. The result is greater costs of medical care, bad results and, ultimately, poor quality of life and greater poverty for older adults.
We need to do much better job to provide adequate attention at the right time and in the right place for our valuable population of older people. We must all work together to guarantee a higher quality of life and better health results.
Photo: Delihayat, Getty Images
Jayme Ambrose, DNP, RN, CCM, is the founding visionary and executive director of Adobe Population Health, a company based in Arizona that offers an innovative first type of class solution to the problem of the health capital. Founded in 2018, Adobe uses a technology -based model for the management of interventionist care and adopts a holistic approach to the population’s health when closing care gaps, reducing the costs and care of the whole person.
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