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How can culturally competent and ethically sound healthcare practices improve the quality of life and end-of-life experiences for older adults?"
ANSWER:
Introduction
Advancing in age is a natural process as it is a scary human experience. Consequently, human society is bound to have older people who need attention, compassion, and boundless care. As part of the emerging and increasingly growing part of healthcare, attention to older people has been integrated into a critical component of healthcare. Such phenomenal growth is both in theory and practice. Typically, older people suffer morbidities attributable to a range of diseases. According to Maresova et al. (2019), older people are vulnerable to chronic diseases owing to reduced body immunity. In light of this fact, this paper sets to underscore the practice of healthcare for older people while appreciating cultural and ethical issues and inherent existential challenges. The focus, however, lies in the possible interventions for challenges rather than challenges themselves.
Cultural and Ethnic Influences on Care for Old People.
What is human behavior without culture? Culture and ethnic identity are as old as humanity. According to Rowland et al. (2020), culture has impacted healthcare for nearly half a century and progressing. Despite the length of time, there's often an underlying tension between ethnic and cultural diversity and healthcare, particularly concerning care for older persons. Instructively, as evolving and dynamic culture manifests, it has a significant contribution to healthcare for older people. Culture and ethnic identity define agency, self-autonomy, empowerment, empowerment, and independence. A prevailing culture and ethnicity either redefine dominant healthcare values or reinforce them. Indeed, care for older people incorporates gardens, day-care stations, and housing centers, usually domiciled within culture-specific communities. According to Carlsson et al. (2020), culture provides a great environment with socially-appropriate connections for older people under care. Older people can feel a sense of identity and belong to their care centers with the proper cultural context. Conversely, inappropriate cultural context does not contribute to the wellbeing of care recipients. Conclusively, care outside the conventional boundaries is impacted by cultural context.
Overcoming Cultural and Ethical Barriers Within Care for Old People. Cultural and ethical barriers feature religion, language, and illiteracy. Overcoming such barriers demands a multi-faceted approach while focusing on practical interventions. However engaging and cost-intensive, education for the caregivers can go a long way in reversing traditional barriers. According to Ferdinand et al. (2021), medical education should impart knowledge on cultural competence. Cultural competence makes caregivers culturally aware of their environment and responsive to emerging challenges. Secondly, communication stresses advocacy and structural competency. According to Dutta et al. (2019), communication and dialogue in health. Lastly, expanding healthcare access to ensure older people can access services within their environment. Such environments ensure cultural appropriateness, thereby countering barriers proactively.
The Needs for Older Person Who’s Dying.
An older person on the verge of death certainly requires specific needs to be addressed. Emotional needs and social needs are fundamental. Among the competing needs, emotional need scores highly. According to Katzorreck et al. (2018), older people experience strong negative emotions; thus, informing the need for caregivers to be emotionally supportive. Emotional problem is further compounded by sadness and anxiety. Secondly, older people need social support. The day-to-day living of older persons highly depends on social support. According to Sturm et al. (2018), deprived social needs deteriorate mental and physical health. Social and emotional needs are integral components of care-giving for the old persons awaiting eventual death.
Nurse Driven Patient-Support. The nurse procuring care can undertake a proactive, well-timed communication to the older person's family. Communication herein serves to psychologically prepare the family for worse in the event of death. According to Ganz et al. (2019), the centrally of communication in the death of a patient cannot be overstated. Additionally, the nurse is bound to research to assess a particular need to be fixed. Such research may indicate the need for counseling or rehabilitation service. The nurse has to be present emotionally, spiritually, and socially. The nurse will have to develop a communication strategy for relaying pertinent information to the family in specific terms. Additionally, the nurse will provide psycho-socio support necessary for the family's acceptance of emerging realities.
Range of Service Available for Older Person and Their Impact on Older Persons
There are different ranges of services that caregivers can offer to older persons. According to Pescheny et al. (2018), such include physiotherapy, administering medication, psychotherapy, screening, and counseling, which are the primary services undertaken by healthcare practitioners. In this case and situation, the older person has poor cognitive impairment and communication disability. Physiotherapy serves to strengthen the bones thus, facilitating mobility. Medication and counseling collectively improve psychological stability. According to Frederiksen et al. (2021), counseling prevents further cognitive decline typical of cognitive impairment. Non-statutory services entail the social and daily needs of the patient, such as aiding in eating and emptying the bowels. Voluntary service entails administering medication and offering counseling.
Preparation For Lifelong Learning, Pursuing Personal Interest
Learning is a progressive process of acquiring new knowledge. According to Formosa et al. (2019), lifelong refers to a process wherein older persons intentionally interact, evaluate and transform their way of knowing through progressive integration. Lifelong learning contributes to productive aging, enabling individuals to be impactful and meaningful members of their societies. The import of productive aging thrusts society members into service for others rather than being self-absorbed. Pursuing personal interest dictates the course of action and informs human motivation. Personal interest in older persons is essential for cognitive function, a sense of control, and physical health. Planning and preparation for retirement recognize old age as an inevitable part of the human experience. According to Rothermund et al. (2019), a retirement plan ensures investment in areas that ensures the sustainable quality of life at old age. Many old-age diseases require resources, and where there's a comprehensive retirement plan, morbidity management becomes flawless.
Conclusion
Conclusively, healthcare within the context of older persons is increasingly becoming integrated into the mainstream healthcare practice. However, there are several challenges, both traditional and emerging. There’s a growing need to ensure consistent education, capacity-building, and competence of caregivers to be responsive to strings of challenges and create a new path that guarantees decent, cost-effective and befitting healthcare for older people. An expanded resource base is centrally essential to guarantee the success of all the interventions. A conducive ethnic and cultural context is necessary, supported by a retirement plan that appreciates investment as a fallback plan at old age.
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