How ageism can influence the healthcare provisions of older adult clients.
Due to the increasing percentage of older adult clients in the U.S., it is imperative that healthcare providers assess and confront their own attitudes and perceptions toward older adults.
In your initial post, address the following:
Describe ageism and its impact on societal views of older adult clients.
Explain how ageism can influence the healthcare provisions of older adult clients.
As a healthcare provider, how can one best assess and confront attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, and biases toward older adults?
Respond to at least one of your peers who has different perspectives than your own.
Sample Solution
As the population of older adults in the U.S continues to increase, healthcare providers must address their own attitudes and perceptions towards this age group. This is because these beliefs may influence both how they interact with their patients as well as what treatments are offered which can lead to inadequate care if left unchecked (Racine et al., 2020). To effectively assess and confront any biases held it is imperative that providers remain self-aware taking time to evaluate their thoughts and actions whenever working elderly clients.
One way to do this is by implementing reflective practice sessions on a regular basis so individuals can reflect on moments when they either made assumptions or felt uncomfortable due to stereotypes associated with aging such as decreased mobility or mental capacity (Westwood et al., 2019). Through thoughtful analysis of these incidents one can begin to identify any underlying prejudices or misconceptions that have been subconsciously impacting their behavior. Additionally having open conversations about ageism with colleagues or peers will help broaden perspectives and provide insight into how different people view aging allowing for more meaningful interactions between staff members during interactions with patients.
It is also important for healthcare professionals to recognize different cultural values regarding senior citizens since this could affect a person’s preferences when it comes access medical information, financial decisions, end-of-life plans among other things (Bano & Maben 2015). Different customs around respect need be respected while at same time recognizing areas where there might conflict between patient desires compared with what has deemed medically necessary in order avoid any ethical dilemmas down road. Taking steps like these help create more trusting relationships between provider client ultimately improving outcomes over time
In conclusion, healthcare providers should always keep an open mind when assessing older adult clients constantly striving become more aware of any biases present within themselves so they ensure all individuals are offered quality care regardless of their age.
