According to a recent study, the elderly are hospitalized more often due to alcohol-related problems than for heart attacks (Doup). Another study found some 70% of elderly adults' hospitalizations are related to alcohol, medication, or a mixture of both (Doup).
Many seniors live alone either due to divorce or the death of a spouse, and many more still are retired and have children out of state, and so do not drive as much or as far as before (Doup). This isolation leads many seniors to develop alcohol and drug problems late in life, at a time when they are most vulnerable to medical conditions (Doup). The elderly make up some 11% of the U.S. population, yet they take more than 35% of the drugs prescribed, such as blood pressure medication, sleep medication, and tranquilizers, all of which created a toxic cocktail when mixed with alcohol, causing everything from dizziness to death (Doup). One of the most significant physiologic consequences of alcohol use in seniors is the effect on the cardiovascular system, because anginal pain may be deadened and/or ignored, leading to myocardial infarction (Bosworth).
According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, pet ownership decreases the sense of isolation and loneliness for elderly adults (Elderly). Seniors who owned pets were more physically active than non-pet owners, and pet ownership was found to have a "statistically significant effect on the physical health" (Elderly). For those living in facilities, music and activities creates a culture of rituals that may include snacks before or after an event, an opportunity to dress for the occasion and interact with musicians or artists (Mazer). Social services may provide isolated seniors with meals on wheels programs, a shopping bus, transportation to faith-based multi-service centers, fitness and health centers, as well...
Sunrise Foster Senior Community The Older American Act (OAA) was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 14, 1965. The purpose of the law was to provide for the needs of an increasing number of older persons in the United States. The specific objectives of the law included strategies to maintain the dignity and welfare of older individuals. To accomplish this, the law created a vehicle for organizing, coordinating,
Women's Isolation Despite representing half of the human population, until very recently women were not afforded the same rights and freedoms as men. Furthermore, in much of the world today women remain marginalized, disenfranchised, and disempowered, and even women in the United States continue to face undue discrimination, whether in the workplace, at home, or in popular culture. However, this should not be taken as a disregarding of the hard-fought accomplishments
Lonely Seniors Senior Citizens Do Not Have to be Lonely A study involving older adults from senior residential facilities in the Chicago area suggests that isolated seniors may experience twice the risk of Alzheimer's disease compared with those who are not lonely or secluded ("Loneliness linked…" 8). Researchers at the University of California San Francisco analyzed data showing loneliness to be particularly debilitating to older adults and may predict serious health problems
95). While many nationalities have such established support systems already in place, many such immigrant support networks remain weak today (Ramirez, 2002). Furthermore, these elderly citizens will likely be accustomed to a level of respect and honor that may be missing from the cultural setting upon their arrival in the United States, further contributing to the potential for "culture shock." According to Haskins (1999), culture shock is "a feeling of
technological explosion of the past few decades has taken mankind to heights never before imagined. Today, with the click of a mouse, one can purchase travel tickets, manage stocks, shop, and chat with people around the world. The changes that technology have made possible are almost limitless. In addition to the changes in daily life, advances in technology have had a significant impact on the field of education. The
For example, Massachusetts and California have made recent improvements by upgrading care quality and professionalizing care; by contrast, despite Florida's large population of seniors and the beginning of a coalition of patients, families, and workers on behalf of better care, the state administration remains inflexible in their funding approach (Fitzgerald 30). Nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities are unique among low-wage labor markets in that government, in effect, sets wages
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