Introduction
The community studied within the frame of the project is the population of a suburban area in Miami, Florida. In reference to the specific features of the chosen community, it is important to note that a large part of it is presented by older adults and couples with one or more children. Another significant feature relates to the healthcare opportunities that people in the community have. As is clear from previous observations made for the survey, many individuals in the community have increased access to healthcare services and information. The situation also seems to be positive when it comes to the infrastructure of the area as the latter has numerous recreation zones. The paper is aimed at defining the key health risks for the chosen population and ways to reduce them.
Vulnerable Population Overview
The vulnerable population in the studied community is presented by older adults. On the face of it, people of advanced age in this community seem to be healthy and satisfied with their living conditions. Nevertheless, it has been noticed during the observation that older adults in Miami are highly likely to have an increased body mass index. The results of the observation indicate that elderly people with various degrees of obesity are presented in the population, and it seems to be rooted in the lack of physical exercise. More than that, the situation can be attributed to the lack of education on healthy nutrition that would include specific recommendations for people of advanced age.
There are some trends that affect the indicated vulnerable population in Miami, Florida. To begin with, it is clear from the observations that there is a little health promotion among older adults in Miami – many of them visit healthcare specialists only when they have specific complaints. The social and economic conditions of these people are relatively good, but few of them perform physical activities to keep fit. Supposedly, it can be related to the lack of information on training principles for older adults. More than that, due to certain stereotypes, some people of advanced age avoid playing sports and exercising in public.
Strengths, Risk Factors, Barriers
The health situation of older adults in the chosen community is associated with numerous strengths, risk factors, and barriers that should be taken into account in order to develop an effective strategy. In reference to strengths, the observation indicates that health resources that people in the community can use are sufficient. For instance, there are more than five hospitals and clinics nearby where people from all age groups are provided with high-quality services. Apart from that, there is a range of specialized medical centers such as nursing homes and wellness clinics that provide services to the chosen vulnerable group.
Risk factors and barriers that impact the chosen group’s health are numerous, and some of them are inherent in the lack of health information and health promotion among elderly citizens. To begin with, elderly people in the chosen community are at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases that are listed among the most common consequences of obesity in people of different ages. Another significant risk associated with an increased body mass in the elderly is presented by sleeping problems and exacerbation of chronic diseases (Patel et al., 2014). Due to changes related to their body functioning, people of advanced age often have problems with their natural immune resistance. Therefore, the cases of influenza complications are quite common in elderly patients (Pileggi, Mascaro, Bianco, Nobile, & Pavia, 2015). Among the most important health barriers peculiar to the elderly population are economic circumstances, race, and gender.
Community Resources
Health resources for elderly people in Miami are sufficient. There are a number of hospitals and nursing homes in the area providing services to various age groups including people of advanced age. Specialists from the health department of the state list improving the quality of services for children and older adults among the key tasks. Reducing obesity is also among the most significant tasks, and there are numerous education programs for overweight people in Miami. The resources are adequate but it can be important to improve the effectiveness of education programs or promote them because the observation shows that there are a great number of obese older adults.
Community Health Problem Diagnosis
One priority health problem that a nurse could positively impact is obesity among the elderly. The Healthy People 2020 objective that clearly relates to the identified problem is NWS-6.3 that sets the target to increase the number of visits to healthcare specialists that include dietary consultations (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2017). Fulfilling the objective in Miami is expected to decrease the number of obese people of advanced age.
Summary
To sum it up, the vulnerable group is presented by older adults in Miami, Florida. Important factors that affect the health of the group include high risks of obesity and cardiovascular disease, poor nutrition, and flu complications. The priority problem identified is a large number of obese older adults and an undeveloped fitness culture. As is clear from Healthy People 2020 Objectives, increasing access to dietary consultations for adults is among the measures helping to prevent many cases of obesity.
References
Patel, S. R., Hayes, A. L., Blackwell, T., Evans, D. S., Ancoli-Israel, S., Wing, Y. K., & Stone, K. L. (2014). The association between sleep patterns and obesity in older adults. International Journal of Obesity, 38(9), 1159.
Pileggi, C., Mascaro, V., Bianco, A., Nobile, C. G., & Pavia, M. (2015). Immunogenicity and safety of intradermal influenza vaccine in the elderly: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Drugs & Aging, 32(10), 857-869.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2017). Healthy People 2020: Nutrition and weight status. Web.