How can we best improve the quality of life for older citizens?

Question

Should the focus be on what the government should do, what communities should do, or what we as individuals should do? What does "quality of life" mean to you anyway? In short, what kind of life would you realistically want for yourself as you age- do you want to be with your family, in a group of old people, active in society or community, completely independent, or... what?

Answer 1

As a nurse, i deal with these issues on a daily bases. I find that there is a major conflict in 2 philosophies within the health care field. the first is that of "do no harm" When a nurse or doctor takes the hipocratic oath, they are basically saying that they will do all they can to help the person and do no harm..however, the conflicting philosophy is that of economics....How can i do no harm when the business requires that i make profits for the business to be viable? It is understandable that patients should pay fees for services rendered...but no more and no less. So in nursing home for instance, the patient is charged for the nursing staff salary, the kitchen staff salary, the administration, the maintenance, outside contractors for repairs or equipment delivery, electricity, telephone, property taxes, gas, cable etc. these things aren't free and have to be paid for.
The problem arises when the owners are making profits while the patients aren't getting what they ought to get and what they are to get by law...You see, you can give whatever you want to the patient to meet all legal requirements..However, just because it's legal or illegal does not make it right. I live in Connecticut, and Connecticut has some of the strictest nursing requirements and regulations in the nation....I know of LPN's (license practical nurse, which is a one year certificate, not a degree) who come from the midwest who tell me that they practice their nursing in the ER, OR, ICU in the hospital..That's not allowed in Connecticut, maybe only in emergencies when the shortage of nurses is extreme, but it's very uncommon. In fact i do believe that those LPN's who work in the hospital have been grandfathered in, or they work as "glorified" CNA's (certified nurses assistants). So just because it's legal that in kentucky an LPN can practice in a hospital does not make it right. Would you let some one who only has a certification in nursing and that certification does not even measure up to the Connecticut certification requirements, practice on you in a hospital, when Connecticut won't even allow that certification to practice in a hospital?
But here's my point..Things like that are done so as to SAVE MONEY. Paying an LPN is cheaper than paying an RN (registered nurse, which is an associates degree or higher). Even in Connecticut on a shift bewteen 3pm to 11pm, by law, a nurse is allowed to take care of no more than 45 long term care patients in a SNF (skilled nursing facility). That is a major flaw. It's hard taking care of the 30-34 we get now. I believe that law was put there in anticipation of the inevitable retirement of the baby boomers....Those baby boomers who work as nurses now, are going to leave alot of weight for us younger nurses to bear ( and to no fault of their own, you gotta retire),and sooner or later we'll taking care of the baby boomers which will be a gigantic load. but how is that right?? It's legal, but not right...And then theres the idea that this will save money for the facility so that they don't have to hire more nurses, they can cut down on staff because it's legal. thus save money. but God forbid we dip into them profits and use that money to...gasp...spend it on the patients.
So what is the government? Nothing but a group of individuals...Each individual should do their part...i have given you a glimpse of what's going on...maybe someone else will take this further....
As for me, if i can walk and talk, i'd be happy, i'm very active person now...maybe someone who is not active wouldn't mind being bed riddened...but that just demonstrates how everyone has different preferences...so the quality of life question ultimately is relative, however, there are some self righteous legislators who think they have this all figured out. So again there are laws that state what quality of life is, but as we've learned, just because it's legal it doesn't make it right.

Answer 2

When it comes to myself I'd prefer to be with my family .Try to keep myself interest in something active depending on how good my health is .As for independency that can be tough at an older age .Communities and government and what they should do is hard to say .Awareness in the community is important .We tend to forget about older people alot .As for governments doing anything most of the time they just make it harder or more complicated for seniors than improve thier quality of life .If it is at all possible I would want total financial independence in my old age to ensure I would not have to rely on the government .

Answer 3

i'm nevertheless waiting for somebody to layout a recoiling mechanism for the air hoses that hook up with oxygen machines. there's a call for for this by way of injuries which could and do take place from human beings tripping over the hose on the floor, while they get it tangled around their ft or ankles. If there became a recoiling gadget,you should tug on it, and it may flinch right into a storage compartment in the unit. And there could be much less hose to holiday over to make a individual fall. One impediment,is to make the hose enhanced, so as that it will not cave in while it recoils and is saved. And which would be the place the concern must be labored out,to realize the coil situation interior the 1st place. i've got talked to extra human beings approximately this,and that all of them agree this could be a needed product.

Answer 4

I am in my late 40's and have in the last 5 years been witness to the illness and demise of all the matriarcs of my family. I would want to if I had one wish for my elder years to be in the loving embrace of my extended family, but society has forgotten that having our elders to care for makes us ready for the next crutial step our own aging. I would really hope we are intelligent enough to reintroduce the people we really need to learn from in our lives back into our hearts and homes.I was honored to have a loving parent wipe my little *** the first two years of my life; I was honored to return the favor the last several monthes of my mother's life. There is no shame, only love, and the realization that I am helping my best friend to be at ease and find peace, even in the throes of a terrible illness.

Answer 5

When i become old i would like to live an independent life . But now that i'm young i say that we should :
1. Give FULL respect to the oldies
2. Love them dearly
3. Never ever mis-behave with them
(Hey do u know that we can even share our secrets with them )
Most IMP -
We should not wait 4 the govt or communities . We must be the first ones to come forward .Focus should be on 'ourselves" .

Answer 6

Dump all the "freebie", Democrat programs and privatize health and prescription care for the elderly. The Government can't do it economically. The Government's job is to protect it's citizens, not healthcare. Get a good privately operated healthcare program, and I think that will help the elderly.

Answer 7

Get rid of the Republicans in Washington, and replace them with honest, caring Democrats.