Life span management describes a sustaining health innovation aimed at imparting improvement particularly towards persons noted have poor interaction with healthcare industry. Individuals such as the elderly are accorded personal assistants to help them with life activities thus enabling the population meet their health needs and realise longevity. According to Alegbeleye (2018), life span management can either be realised through an expert’s counsel or at an individual’s home. The decline in citizen’s life expectancy as reported by Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States has necessitated the need for life span management.
Populations that may need lifespan management
Chronically ill and disabled populations
People affected by chronic diseases in the US are usually prone to deteriorated health outcomes thus in need of life span management. The populations are likely to report ill-health hence require personal assistants to help them with their medication to achieve wellness and longevity. The patient’s life span management is aimed at improving adaptability to advancement of chronic conditions they go through. The disabled population have poor interaction with the health industry thus vulnerable to reporting poor health. As explained by Alegbeleye (2018), the individuals require life span management since they have difficulties accessing healthcare.
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Homeless Population
Individuals who lack permanent homes have an increased risk for adverse health related ailments. Such people require life span management due to lack of regular source of care thus more likely to forego medication. The stigma facing homeless individuals make them feel unwelcome thus are reported to have inadequate interaction with healthcare practitioners at length.
Low Income populations
Individuals whose earnings are below the index recommended by the World Health Organization are more prone to poor health. The impact of illnesses affecting them can be more severe hence adversely affecting their lifespan expectancy thus the need for life span management (Alegbeleye, 2018). The population also have less interaction with the healthcare system.
The ageing population
In the US, growth of older adults, that is individuals aged 65 year and above has been increasing in an unprecedented number. Such individuals are usually at risk of chronic diseases and other adverse health outcomes. Ill health negatively affects quality of life thus may lead to early death hence the need for life span management.
Specific differences and needs of each group
Chronically ill populations are usually affected by chronic medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, stoke, Alzheimers disease, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid disease among others. Their needs include assistance to access health care practitioners, medication and counselling reach to counter stress and depression. Additional needs include drug prescriptions, nutritional recommendations and diet a s well as lifestyle change requirements. Disabled populations undergo different life conditions compared to the chronically ill, such as physical and mental impairment that adversely impacts their ability to carry normal daily activities (Alegbeleye, 2018). The population’s needs include access to health practitioners for treatment and management of mental and physical impairment, access to drugs, financial assistance to meet daily needs such as food and special equipment such as, walking clutches and wheel chairs. Homeless populations lack permanent and decent homes.
The homeless needs include safe and dignified permanent shelters, access to health centers for treatment in case of ailments, regular screening and counselling to help them deal with stigma. The aging population differ from other groups as the conditions that affects them most is old age. Their needs include frequent medical attention, drug prescription, regular check-ups, nutritional and life style recommendations, care givers and aging life care. Low income population are different from other population since the primary problem affecting them include low earnings (America Psychological Association, n.d). The population needs include decent employment that earns them reasonable earnings. Due to the reduced interaction with healthcare system, the population may require medical check-ups, drug prescriptions, life style and diet recommendation as well financial empowerment needs to improve their financial wellness.
Effect of culture on lifespan management
Culture describes guidelines shared by a group of people or population that specifies the way of life. Culture affects an individual or population’s perception of lifespan management. In addition, a population’s customs and way of life may affect life span management owing to their cultural beliefs on health promotion and about diseases, type of treatment to prefer and how pain ought to be expressed or experienced. Some populations have a cultural perception that pain ought to be tolerated and that elderly people should not seek health promotion initiatives thus adversely affecting life span management efforts due to cultural barriers. Other populations are inclined to the “nurture” side of argument thus influencing their behaviour positively towards uptake of life span management initiatives such as elderly care, enhancing patient’s life span and regular interaction with health professionals. Cultural environments affect adoption of home care technologies towards the elderly or patients with chronic health conditions.
Role demographics play in lifespan management
Demographic data such as age, ethnicity, race, education level, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, national origin and religious affiliation play a key role in life span management. The demographic information helps life span managemnet teams in for example understanding a patient’s culture which may affect health. Demographics inform a patient’s unique health needs thus leading to delivery of life span managemnet practices that match a patient requirements (Betancourt, 2016). The information is critical in planning health and welfare services, education and housing for instance towards directing life span management towards the homeless, low income earners and chronically ill patients. Demographic characteristics inform planning needs in provision of health and elderly social care in improving life span management.
Examples of communication techniques used with diverse populations
Communicating with diverse populations requires employment of culturally appropriate means in an effective way that respects cultural and demographic differences. Examples of communication techniques include use of multiple speech styles, employment of speech reciprocity and use of audience centered language, relying on interpreters/translators as well as using different words to express the same idea.
References
Alegbeleye, A. J. (2018). Life Span Management. Geriatrics Health , 35.
America Psychological Association (APA) (n.d). Life plan for Life span, https://www.apa.org/pi/aging/lifespan.pdf
Betancourt, J. (2016). Cultural competency: providing quality care to diverse populations. The Consultant Pharmacist® , 21 (12), 988-995.
