Diverse Older Population Living in Residential Care in Australia

The older population is having a big impact over time, especially in Australia where more people are reaching retirement age.

Social determinants of Health for the older population

Thesis Statement:  Australia's older population in residential care deals with the country's economic, social, and environmental conditions. Having appropriate access to secure life, healthy food and income, safe housing, and affordable and dependable transportation are all impacted by economic, social, and environmental issues. Older people struggle with factors related to socioeconomic determinants, which are factors in poor health and mortality in the population.

In particular, older people experience the aging factor and social factors that affect their health. They face significant obstacles on their path to being able to live independently and contentedly (Crotty et al., 2019, p. 4). 

As a result, it is assumed that elderly people, despite their high levels of energy and drive, would not be able to perform adequately. In Australia, the elderly population has fewer employment opportunities than the younger population (Khadka et al., 2019, p. 2). Similar to that, it results in earning less money to have a better social life. Poor social life can occasionally result from few job options. The elderly are therefore unable to afford a higher standard of living in society. Because of this, the paper also discusses social determinants of health, especially for older people receiving residential care.

Health Inequalities

As Australia's population increases, so does the proportion of elderly people living there. Since life expectancy is recognised as a method of determining how long a person may be anticipated to live a healthier life based on mortality rate, there is a need for support and well-being. In Australia, the average death age is 85.3 years, with a life expectancy of 65 years for men and 65 years for women in 2018–2020. (Charlesworth & Isherwood, 2021, p. 4).

In Australia, it is anticipated that there will be 132,500 deaths of people over 65 in 2020. For older Australians, coronary heart disease is the main cause of death. There are other causes for the water in the older age group, though. Heart disease is the leading cause of death, followed by lung cancer. Similarly, heart disease is the leading cause of death for people over 85, followed by dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (Harrison et al., 2020, p. 3).

Men and women experience mortality for different reasons. Heart disease, especially in men, is the leading cause of death in the older age group, whereas lung cancer is the leading cause in women. In Australia, the majority of women are also affected by Alzheimer's disease (Khadka et al., 2019, p). The elderly are under a great deal of stress because of their difficult financial and social circumstances. As a result, suicide has a significant negative impact on Australians' health and mortality rates.

Older people are more likely than women to experience health problems and commit suicide or other intentional acts of self-harm. Their decreased social interaction and desire for better living conditions are related.

The older population in Australia makes up a larger portion of the total population. 5% of the population are people aged 65 to 69. (Darvall et al., 2019, p. 5). 9% of the population is burdened by illnesses and other health issues. Women make up 35% of the population overall, compared to people over the age of 70 who make up 11% of the population.

Health inequities

The reason why society views the elderly as a burden is because they are unable to carry out duties like working or earning enough money to live a better life. As a result, as people age, their social and physical health are at risk. The aged care system in Australia offers services for various types of care for the elderly who reside in residential care.

The government-funded aged care services offer Home Support so that the elderly population can live independently without the need for round-the-clock care. It is not based on the required minimum age (Ng & Ward, 2018, p. 2). Although older people make up the majority of those in need of aged care services, younger people can also access them in the country.

There are different types of mainstream elder care

Residential aged care

It is predicated on the provision of care services and permanent or temporary housing. The main objective is to help elderly people who are unable to leave their homes because they require care and are unable to maintain their usual living arrangements.

Home Support

Age Home Support Initiative of the Commonwealth Give people who are just starting out in assistance access to care services like personal care, domestic help, allied health services, and social support. However, there are social injustices regarding how senior citizens are treated when taking part in events or other activities. 2020, p. 4 (Henderson & Willis). But the government is making a lot of effort to provide better care so that senior citizens can lead normal, independent lives.

Home care

In Australia, a home care package program is available to offer care at various levels that specifically targets those who need care beyond what the Home Support Assistants can provide. Only those who want to be independent will receive services. The elderly, however, may not receive enough nursing care in the society as a whole. The Australian government provides nursing home residents who are elderly with medical care and social support.

Factors Involved

Dependence

The most important thing to keep in mind is that elderly people living in residential care are vulnerable because they lack freedom in their lives. The inability to afford having a more fulfilling social life is the cause (Fine, & Davidson, 2018, p. 3). Furthermore, the lack of financial resources prevents access to better medical care. For the elderly, there are no professions that allow them to provide the required care during working hours.

Lack of Resources

There is no denying the wealth of professional and personal experience that older people possess. They may therefore contribute significantly to any company as a result. It is crucial that businesses set up an environment where elderly people can work primarily on tasks that require mental capacity to complete rather than physical capabilities (DeLaune, et al., 2019, p. 4). However, there are still disparities in health across the globe. It consequently makes it riskier for elderly people receiving residential care to live independently.

Health Outcome

Health issues

Dementia, coronary heart disease, and disabilities are major concerns for the elderly population. Australia is not the only country where there is a stigma against the elderly. Ageism in society is not based on an equal appreciation of time's value on a personal and professional level. Since they are unable to engage in some physical activities, they are seen as a burden on society. Elderly people are forced to depend on the people around them and on themselves.

In addition, everyone avoids the elderly, including family members and society as a whole (Isherwood et al., 2018, p. 3). As a result, despite having inadequate financial resources and leading miserable lives, people feel alone. When dealing with both physical and mental illnesses without much support from relationships, inequalities make life more difficult.

Standard 2 - Engaging in a therapeutic and professional relationship

The practise is intended to engage in productive therapeutic and professional relationships with the population that requires care. Making good use of their available time to teach people important life lessons and encourage them to move forward by getting better, therapists could get a lot done, and at the end of their sessions the people would feel more hopeful about life.

Communication Level                         

• The requirement is based on forging closer ties with the elderly. Elderly people may experience both physical and psychological suffering. In order to advance toward a better understanding of the physical and mental demands of the elderly and residential care, it is crucial in this age group demographic to have stronger relationships that are based on trust (Palesy et al., 2018, p. 3).
• It is only practical if the registered nurse is able to communicate clearly with the elderly patient who is receiving residential care. The nurse's responsibility is to comprehend both verbal and nonverbal cues given by the patient seeking care.
• However, an elderly person who needs care and lives in a residential setting may understand that discussing any pain medication or mental distressor with dinner will help them get help.
• In order to comprehend the needs of the elderly in coping with both mental and physical suffering in life, it is necessary to evaluate oneself and monitor nursing suicide. At the end of the day, the registered nurse's main objective when adhering to standard practise is to enhance communication and advance the patient's quality of life. It is only conceivable if the person can effectively manage both his or her physical and mental well-being.

RN (registered nurses) support for Old age population in residential care

• For the elderly population, especially those residing in residential care, a registered nurse (RN) is required so that they can analyse, maintain, build, and end relationships within professional and personal boundaries.
• However, there is a communication that is based on a useful method for understanding the person who needs care (Smith 2019, p. 4). The standard is focused on fostering a better values-based culture and working to uphold the dignity and beliefs of the elderly.
• The requirement empowers nurses to help the elderly by comprehending their varied life experiences. In terms of their own health, they may be authorities who understand what is best for them.
• Coordination, consultation, and referral are encouraged by the guideline in order to keep a professional relationship with elderly residents of residential care while also enhancing their health outcomes.
• Senior citizens, for instance, may experience both mental and physical stress. For someone who experiences mental stress due to circumstances in their own life. Standard 2 encourages seeking to understand a person's emotional state and offering support and care so that he or she can recover from difficult life circumstances.

Standard 3 - Maintain the capability for practice

According to Henderson et al. (2018), registered nurses are in charge of keeping both patients seeking healthcare and medical professionals in a secure environment. It depends on the registered nurse's ability to provide secure care while still enabling ongoing self-management.

Communication

• In order to maintain the ability of activities and practises for providing better care to the elderly in residential care, effective communication is essential. The person can participate in getting the results of the observation from a registered nurse, understand the health issues, and engage in discussions with the medical professionals.
• It will give the person the knowledge and interest needed to understand his or her own health requirements and concerns so that they can then be addressed.
• An elderly person has already experienced enough life stages, including health, to have a thorough understanding of them. Because of this, he or she can easily understand the needs of the health and make specific decisions.
• Nurses will be able to assess their capacity to pursue better care practises even without a nursing in residential care once they have improved contact with the elderly.

RN support for Old age population in residential care

• When there is a critical decision to be made regarding their immediate health, elderly people must be concerned about their capacity to make those decisions.
• Here, Standard 3 is applied, and registered nurses are held responsible for understanding the physical and emotional needs of the elderly in their residential care and making decisions that are in line with those needs.
• The primary focus of the recommendation is on educating or educating the elderly who are receiving residential care so they can make choices or take action to improve their health. The registered nurses are well positioned to support the decision-making capacity of the elderly, which includes providing education about their medical and social conditions in order to improve their care.
• Once they understand their needs and wants for physical and mental health, they will be able to make decisions for themselves.
• As a result, the registered nurse's main responsibility under this standard is to maintain the elderly person's capacity to understand their needs while also ensuring that they are adequately informed about their health. a method by which it can be defined and a successful outcome with the necessary abilities to carry out an activityand achieve a desired outcome.

Standard 4 – Comprehensively conducts assessments

Elderly people frequently have a medical history that includes a number of different illnesses or disorders. As a result, the standard emphasises understanding the background of those experiencing health issues.

Communication

• In residential care, the nurse's observations and self-evaluation are crucial to helping the patient receive better decisions. Elderly people must have a medical history pertaining to any illness or injury (Gordon, et al., 2022, p. 4). By enhancing communication, a nurse can increase a patient's self-assurance and motivation.
• It is simpler to discuss observations about the elderly person's vital signs or other symptoms once the nurse and the patient have a better mutual understanding. In the end, it will assist the user in understanding the physical and mental demands placed on their body, which will enable them to make wise decisions.

RN support for Old age population in residential care 

• Registered nurses work to accurately interpret a person's vital signs and symptoms after a thorough, in-depth, and methodical examination so that the person can take care of themselves.
• The assessment is based on the resident's self-assessment to understand medical history, comprehensive physical examination, as well as a general survey for the elderly person's basic needs. This statement is fairly direct and is incomplete due to the inclusion of (in part) "successful."   A person who passes a thorough examination may have issues that can be resolved
• To understand the medical history and future plan for changing the lifestyle of the elderly in residential care to achieve a better health outcome, it merely builds the practise plan for registered nurses.

In conclusion, social health determinants such as economic, social, and environmental factors affect the elderly population in residential care in Australia in various ways. The elderly need residential care, and a registered nurse can provide it more effectively and quickly. Inequities and inequality exist within society. There are a number of issues that affect the elderly group physically or because they have disabilities that prevent them from performing daily tasks.

They seek a person to complete the tasks who is aware of the physical requirements of the individual in terms of health as well as independence and life. Certain daily activities are impossible for elderly people to perform alone. Standards are being developed, particularly in Australia, for registered nurses to provide excellent care while also understanding the observations and self-evaluation of the person seeking care. It is important because it will inform or make them aware of their health needs, enabling them to make defensible decisions.

 

References

 

 

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