Elders of color face diverse challenges in their lives. In their quest to live satisfying lives, they are faced with economic, health, and social problems that affect their ability to access basic services. In this regard, this paper outlines the challenges as mentioned earlier, the barriers to service utilization across different races and genders among the elders, and the various mechanisms these deficiencies can be addressed.
The leading economic challenge among the elders of color is poverty. For instance, African Americans depict disproportional rates of poverty with women living alone and the eldest having severe cases of poverty (Dumez & Derbew, 2011). Among the Latinos, they exhibit the highest levels of poverty attributed to poor paying jobs, limited educations, and lack of citizenship benefits (Meschede, Sullivan, & Shapiro, 2011). Socially, older individuals face discrimination in various sectors, for example, in schools and jobs. Other challenges are lack of caregivers even at their advanced age. Undeniably, this affects their ability to perform some basic chores. It ultimately attracts the attention of churches and other institutions to care for them.
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Also, health is a critical issue that affects adults in their aging lives. For instance, African Americans are affected as utmost as the aging process continues. With a lower socioeconomic status, their overall health is concerned and is characterized by prolonged illnesses, high blood pressure, obesity, and high mortality rates (Durazo, Jones, Wallace, Van Arsdale, Aydin, & Stewart, 2011). Besides, there are increased cases of mental challenges among the aged. The contributing factors to these challenges are unequal access to Medicare and Medicaid.
To alleviate all these challenges, it is critical to enhancing medical access through home-bound caregivers. Additionally, it is vital to conduct regular checkups on the health of the elderly. Poverty-issues can be dealt with, offering a package to the aged to sustain themselves. Discrimination issues should be abolished at all levels to ensure the accessibility of services and privileges is equal (Smedley, Stith, Nelson, & Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 2003). Charity-based organizations should be leading in fighting for these injustices to end. Additionally, they should agitate for government care of the aged.
References
Dumez, J., & Derbew, H. (2011). The economic crisis facing seniors of color: Background and policy recommendations. Berkeley, CA: The Greenlining Institute. Retrieved October 18 , 2011.
Durazo, E., Jones, M., Wallace, S., Van Arsdale, J., Aydin, M., & Stewart, C. (2011). The health status and unique health challenges or rural older adults in California.
Meschede, T., Sullivan, L., & Shapiro, T. (2011). The crisis of economic insecurity for African-American and Latino seniors. Living Longer on Less Series .
Smedley, B. D., Stith, A. Y., Nelson, A. R., & Institute of Medicine (U.S.). (2003). Unequal treatment: Confronting racial and ethnic disparities in health care . Washington, D.C: National Academies Press.
