Community in Duxbury County: Assessment and Analysis

Community Characteristics

In Duxbury County, approximately 25% of the population are the people who are older than 65 years at this moment. In 25 years, it is expected that this number can be increased by up to 50%. The members of the community under analysis have several common characteristics such as living in rural areas with low transportation support and no formal public transit system.

Community’s Data for Assessment

Regarding the current situation and the opportunities available to the community, the following arrangement of needs and expectations may be offered:

1. Health risks: older adults are exposed to such health problems as arthritis, heart diseases, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. The nurse should address this issue at first to understand what kind of work should be developed.
2. Goals and perceived needs, norms: the nurse has to learn what kind of help older patients want to get at hospitals and what improvements are expected.
3. Knowledge and beliefs: the provision of high-quality health care services depends on the level of knowledge obtained. Nurses should be properly trained and prepared to work under different conditions.
4. Power and leadership: leaders have to be strong and properly aware of what kind of work should be done in hospitals.
5. Problem-solving processes: as soon as problems are identified, they have to be discussed and solved.
6. Values and sentiments: care should be person-centered.
7. Culture of the community: Duxbury County may have its traditions and social norms, and the nurse committee has to consider these needs.

Community Problems

The first problem is the expected influx of patients aged older than 65 years.

The second problem is low transportation support that is offered to an older population.

The third problem is poorly organized geriatric care in the community.

Interventions with Rationales

Interventions to solve the problem of patient influx are:

1. Databases should help to know the expected number of patients and use the records to save their time;
2. Communication with the government to divide responsibilities and be ready to take care of older adults;
3. Enough living space for patients to focus on care, but not on organizational issues (Merriam & Kee, 2014).

Transportation support interventions include:

1. Creation of new hospitals so that patients do not need public transport to reach a hospital;
2. Employment of new community health works so that they can help patients navigate the already offered system (Cronk, 2015).
3. New free transport with its main destination point – a hospital – so that people regardless of their income, age and conditions can address the nearest care center.

A poor geriatric care problem can be solved with the help of such interventions as:

1. New training programs for nurses to improve their knowledge and readiness to help patients;
2. Patient-centered care promotion to pay more attention to patient’s needs;
3. Free counseling sessions for older adults to inform them about possible health problems and needs.

Outcomes with Rationales

First intervention’s outcomes:

1. Properly developed patients’ records reduce the time for care management;
2. Cooperation between hospitals and the government promotes high-quality care;
3. Appropriate healthcare conditions are offered to all patients.

Second intervention’s outcomes:

1. More space for patients promotes a possibility to reach a hospital afoot;
2. More healthcare workers can cooperate with patients and address their needs anytime;
3. Fast transportation and the reduction of health complications among older patients because they can address a hospital as soon as they have a problem.

Third intervention’s outcomes:

1. Properly aware medical staff can offer health care to any patient;
2. Patients report on their complaints properly due to effective support offered by the medical staff;
3. The reduction of health complications among older patients is observed due to the ability to recognize problems at their early stage and choose effective treatments.

References

Cronk, I. (2015). The transportation barrier. The Atlantic. Web.

Merriam, S.B., & Kee, Y. (2014). Promoting community wellbeing: The case for lifelong learning for older adults. Adult Education Quarterly, 64(2), 128-144.