When it comes to caring for vulnerable populations, considering such characteristics as ethnicity, age, gender, and other socioeconomic factors is imperative. In the case of 66-year-old African American woman, JK, with hypertension, asthma, and type 2 diabetes, the largest barrier is her being located in a food desert and being unable to travel for food.
A realistic estimated budget for JK is spending $100 a week to get produce. Since she is restricted in her diet and only has to eat unprocessed foods, the patient will have to shop for food every week (Lee, 2018). Shopping locations should include the nearest shopping centers and malls where grocery stores are available. Transportation means can include the members of her family, neighbors, and municipal vehicles. It is expected that traveling for food will take up to three hours, given the time to get to the grocery store, do all the shopping, and then travel back. The patient is recommended to do the shopping early in the morning to avoid traffic, queues and reduce the impact of the hot weather.
The main support service that JK can use to her advantage is Meals on Wheels. This service is available in multiple areas around the country and targets vulnerable populations, especially the elderly. Meals on Wheels is especially important for JK because the service provides “nutritious, ready-to-eat meals delivered to your home” (“Current clients,” n.d.). In comparison with the local census data on Broward, FL, JK’s community lacks the availability of food stores and markets. However, the proposed plan can help in addressing this problem.
References
Current clients. (n.d.). Web.
Lee, W. (2018). The eat-clean diet review. Web.