Discussion:
As we discussed in Week One, our society is becoming much older and much more culturally diverse. With the older adult population growing so drastically, the medical community is beginning to feel the impact. As to be expected, older adults are the highest users of physician services, prescription medication, hospital services, and long-term care facilities. Given this information on the problems and prospects of medical care in this community, analyze the following:
• The systematic and/or social inequities that exist with respect to care for older adults, and alternatively, how the medical community can become better equipped to care for elderly patients in 21st century medicine.
• What the future holds for the medical care in elderly communities.
• The direction we are headed with reference to long-term care and whether this direction is a positive or negative focus for the future of elder care.