1 Jun 2022

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Ethical Issues with an Aging Population

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Academic level: Master’s

Paper type: Essay (Any Type)

Words: 624

Pages: 2

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Economic implication 

The cost of healthcare is on a rising trend. The burden of healthcare is seemingly on the rise too. One of the reasons behind this rise is that many people leave longer hence the prevalence of chronic disease and other conditions such as heart failures are on the rise (Craig, 2010., p.  27 ). The statistics have it that almost six million people are over eighty-five years of age and the age projection have it that by the year 2050, the number may triple up (Hayutin, Dietz, & Mitchell, 2010). One of the economic implications of increment of old age is that the current working class individuals will have a burden of providing for both the old and family. This has an implication of rise in poverty level. Crippen and Barnato (2011) have it that the health care for the old currently consumes much than the school fees. With no health policy adjustment to drum for the match between the increase of old age individual and a replica of resources, more chronic disease will continue mauling people. This will result to a negative implication in economy since it has less funds channeled in other important sectors such as education (Hayutin, Dietz, & Mitchell, 2010). 

Ethical issue 

Ethics is very important when discharging the duties in hospital. However, their funds are often limited in hospitals. The government also relies on the energetic populace for its development. The ethics of distributive justice have it that people should be treated depending on their needs. However, there are people whom when treated with the funds or resources available, the government get a lot of profit for instance youths. While on the other hands, there are those who cannot produce much like the old age when given attention. This is where ethical dilemma occurs in hospital (Tazkarji et al., 2016). 

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Consequences of failing to adjust to the policy 

In reality, the average monthly salary for the retired workers in the country is insufficient to cater for their health care need. In fact, there are some retired workers whose retirement benefits are less than $10000 (Hayutin, Dietz, & Mitchell, 2010). Due to this reason, some elders are working to supplement the small compensation. Due to minimal benefits and their age, they are forced to choose between receiving a prescription in local chemist and paying for their medical bills. These are the reality and the consequences which may even worse off in case the bill is not readjusted to help the old. 

Ethical dilemma on end of life 

The end of life care has been an issue for some time. There is a matter of death will which demand that an individual has the right to terminate their life. This in many cases is referring to as the physician assisted death. The expenditure on preventive care and the ethical principle of autonomy clashes when addressing the end-of life issue ( AARP, 2017). The government spends a lot on the issue of preventive care. The government does this to ensure that at this stage people do not die. The government buys expensive medical machines which to them are important in death prevention. However, it is ethically acceptable for the patient to choose what they want to do with their life. The end of life will, allows a person to neglect all the government expenditure and chose to die a dignified death. 

My ethical standards and challenge 

I would suggest distributive justice as ethical standards. This is where we prefer a patient based on the condition not the age. In case an elder patient is in critical condition, he/she is given attention more than a youthful patient whose condition is stable. The challenge is ethical dilemma which exists between the government which needs youthful population and hospital which need to treat individuals irrespective of their age. 

References 

AARP. (2017, May 4). House Approves Health Care Bill Slashing Health Coverage - AARP. Retrieved May 4, 2017, from http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2017/fate-of-health-care-bill-with-Senate-fd.html 

Craig, H. D. (2010). Caring enough to provide health care: An organizational framework for the ethical delivery of health care among aging patients.    International Journal for Human Caring   14 (4), 27-30. Retrieved from Walden Library database 

Crippen, D., & Barnato, A. E. (2011). The ethical implications of health spending: Death and other expensive conditions. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 39(2), 121–129. doi:10.1111/j.1748-720X.2011.00582.x 

Hayutin, A. M., Dietz, M., & Mitchell, L. (2010). New realities of an older America. Retrieved from: http://longevity3.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/New-Realities-of-an-Older-America.pdf 

Tazkarji, B., Lam, R., Lee, S., &Meiyappan, S. (2016). Approach to preventive care in the elderly.  Canadian Family Physician 62 (9), 717-721. 

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StudyBounty. (2023, September 14). Ethical Issues with an Aging Population.
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