Quality of life Significance of the Problem

By Shereen Robinson

Quality of life is the general well-being of individuals and societies. Quality of life includes not only wealth and employment, but also environment, physical and mental health, education, recreation and leisure time, and social belonging. Sensory deficits are common experiences within the older adults which is considered a normal process of aging (Cacchipne 2005). Chronic diseases associated with disability extremely affect the older adults by reducing the individual’s quality of life. These diseases will eventually increase cost of health care leaving a strain on healthcare resources and can cause financial burden. Furthermore, family members are providing care and support to the older adult during times of illness. For many older adults, the ability to live in their home may be difficult without the help of their community.
Understanding the impact of sensory deficits and how it affects quality of life is of great importance. Impaired communication and vision affects relationship and exchange of information in the older adult, significantly impacting their daily life. It is important to improve our knowledge of these conditions and their physiopathology effect, in an attempt to recognize the changes and accept sensory deficits as an “inevitable” part of aging (Ciorba, Bianchini, Pelucchi & Pastore, 2012). According to (Ciorba et al. 2012) management or sensory aides could restore their quality of life, sense of independence, relationships and participation in activities.
Improvements in medicine have extended the life of many older adults with chronic diseases (Heyworth, Hazlele, Lineham & Frank, 2009). Chronic diseases may not kill but they consume a lot of health care resources and hinder the quality of life of the individual. The ultimate goal of modern health care for patients with chronic diseases is not only to impede death but most important to promote health and quality of life (Heyworth, Hazlele, Lineham & Frank, 2009).
There are older adults that have family members as their caregiver.  According to  Evans (2011) caregivers may experience multitude of emotions, ranging from sadness, resentment, and a sense of inadequacy, to deep appreciativeness for being able to care for the loved one at home. Care delivered by family and friends can make a difference between living at home and going to a long-term care facility as stated by Evans (2011). By offering respite care, caregiver support groups with skill training will ultimately reduce the caregiver’s stress and burden.
While the older adults are living longer with many chronic diseases, health care cost can place pressure on the individual financial resources. Provisions of the healthcare reform legislation (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) signed into law in 2010 are proposed to benefit older adults. According to Koss (2007) Medicaid declared that they would provide grants to help states move older adults from long-term care institutions back home, hoping to decrease total healthcare costs and improve quality of life.
According to Lustbader (2011) “ageism,” is referred to the negative and separatist attitudes and acts of discrimination or prejudice against older people. Ageism allows the younger cohorts to see older adults as different from themselves therefore they obviously stop identify with their seniors as human beings. Services and appropriate tools within community will empower the older people to renew or improve social contacts allowing then to be actively engaging in their communities in order to be better connected with society. In actuality many older adults live independently and maintain close relationship with family and friends some remaining somewhat stable during their lifespan, and productive fixture of their community.

 

Reference

 

Ciorba, A., Bianchini , C., Pelucchi, S., & Pastore , A. (2012). The impact of hearing loss on the

quality of life of elderly adults. 5, 159–163.  Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enans, N. (2011). Older adults and their care. Retrieved from

www.nursingceu.com/courses/344/index_nceu.html‎

Heyworth, I., Hazlele, M., Lineham, M., & Frank, T. (2009). How do common chronic

conditions affect health-related quality of life?. 59(568), 353-358. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Koss, B. D. (2007). Effect of the medicaid deficit reduction act on older adults. 55, 1110-1114.

doi: 10.1111/1532-5415.2007.01227.x

Lustbader, W. (2011). An homeage to age: Life gets better. 32(5), 16. Retrieved from

http://ehis.ebscohost.com.citytech.ezproxy.cuny.edu.2048/ehost/deliv…