Disease Trends and the Delivery of Healthcare Services
HCA/240
July 2, 2010

There are many changes that the U.S. population is going through, and health care is amongst one of them. Americans have begun to live longer seeing an older age. Diversity is playing a role in this change to. Growth is driven by the high birth rates between ethnics and racial minorities along with immigrants. This diversity will lead many to be uninsured. Many of the older generation enter into the health care system with a unique set of problems, conditions, and values. The question is how the needs and desires of each person will be appropriately addressed in such a rapidly changing health care environment (Advameg, 2012). The changes that come with each person during the aging process can affect each individual different. As we all begin to get older the digestive process becomes less effective, and in older people it’s the common cause for malnutrition. Some elderly people are unable to digest food properly or they lose their appetite. The body continuously needs to be nourished, and without that nourishment the body doesn’t have the proper energy that it need. Physical characteristics of a population such as age currently effect the population by 12% for those that are 65 years or older (Advameg, 2012). It’s estimated by the year 2030 to reach 21%. The growth of those 80 and over require more expensive and intensive medical care because of how fast they are growing in number. Troubling questions have begun to effect society’s ability to meet future health care demands. Some say to only pay for routine care that can help manage the pain in the elderly. Another proposal is to introduce preventive measures like exercise programs and health education. Most elderly require extensive care for complicated medical conditions that results in expensive technologies and treatments. Often time these treatments are ineffective to providing the benefit that is needed. Many over the age of 65 and older have hypertension, diabetes, or blood lipid disorders from a result of chronic diseases. These conditions are making it hard for them to receive medication that is way too costly for them to afford. This will put pressure on the health expenditures and increase pressure on public and private insurance There are many factors that support these growing trends. It is believed that environmental problems will be occurring from being over populated. When there is an abundance of people there will be more resources and energy consumed that will produce more pollution along with adding to the waste landfills. There will be a need for more land to grow crops and build new homes. This will lead to more trees being cut down for the homes. Fossil fuel will affect the environment because more cars will need to be built, and gases are released into the atmosphere. Land will be destroyed all over the world to provide resources that is needed. The growth will cause more problems for the environment (Advameg, 2012). Another growing trend is the single and divorced parents raising children’s along without the proper healthcare. This is leaving them to depend upon government assistance like Medicaid. Immigrants and people of color work for low income jobs that lack healthcare coverage. Some jobs have coverage, but it’s only for the employee. This growth has been ongoing since 1960. The culture of the United States is becoming extremely diverse. According to the census projection the minority population will increase to nearly 20 million during the next decade, reaching 140 million by 2030. Many adults that are aging in the United States are likely to increase their health issues with type II diabetes and obesity. There is a growth of 70% of adults over the age of 60 that is battling with being obese. Being overweight is placing them at risk for diabetes and other diseases that is linked to obesity. Many overweight by 30 pounds are higher are likely to develop type II diabetes. As we get older our body changes making it harder for us to lose weight and easier for us to gain it. The metabolism gets slower as we age. Over the past 15 years studies have shown that diabetes have doubled in the United States. This disease has been on the rise for those 65 and over. A factor that can be another result of obesity is heart disease, kidney disease, stroke and many other serious medical conditions. Preventions can help with the occurrence of these diseases by eating greens and plenty of nutritional meals to help combat weight gain. Each person can add physical activities to their daily routine to enhance their lifestyle. Some exercise that young and the elderly can do to maintain their health is: swimming, walking, biking, and low impact weight lifting. These exercises are especially good for older adults that will help them with energy, and maintain balance reducing injuries (Salahi, L., 2010).
There are aging trends that are increasing with the elderly that is way too costly for them to afford. Some of these diseases are diabetes, kidney disorders, and respiratory issues to name a few. The elderly don’t have the ability to visit the doctors. The elderly are living to over the age of 65 without any insurance to help them offset the cost when they need to be seen. Most of them don’t go to the doctor and they try to self-medicate.
There are community health promotion and wellness strategies to help prevent diseases amongst the elderly. Colon cancer is cancer that forms in the tissues of the colon. This cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States that occurs in males and females. It is recommended to start testing for colon cancer at the age of 50 or younger if there’s a family history. The age that this cancer is seen in is 50 and above. Blood disorders like iron deficiency anemia can be prevented or maintained by eating properly adding more iron to their diet. Most elderly patients don’t eat properly, and sometimes they don’t eat at all.
Individual and society can make changes to reverse the obesity by eating out at restaurants less. Change their eating habits to more fruits and vegetables. Try to stay away from saturated fats (John Hopkins, 2007). The best thing would be to speak with their physician and a nutritionist. Then they can prepare to find a work out plan that is right for them by visiting a gym or walking 3-4 days a week. United States was overweight by 66% from 2003-2004 with the women’s 20-34 are increasing weight the fastest (Johns Hopkins, 2007). If obesity continues it’s estimated that by 2015 there will be 75 percent of adults and almost 24 percent of children and teens that will be overweight. This is an alarming factor for the US and it is showing how the population has doubled, and will continue to grow if measures aren’t took to control this factor that is out of control.
The environmental factor that affects many is due to physical activity and nutrition (Salahi, L., 2010). People need be motivated to move to get off the couch and stopped looking at so much TV or video games. Spend less time in restaurants and cook a healthy meal that the families as a whole can sit down to enjoy together. Pollution is another factor to take into consideration with all of the vehicles on the road. No one wants to walk anymore. Health clubs are way too costly, and it doesn’t cost anything to exercise in your home. Taking a dance class, or walking a few times around your neighborhood. Some of the demographic factors are according to the age, sex, locations or birth rate date.
The trend for obesity is increasing at an alarming rate. Some health conditions that are related to being overweight are hypertension, glands, type II diabetes mellitus, heart attack, hyperlipidemia, infertility and possible breast cancer. The BMI (body max index), is used to measure the body fat according to your height and weight. A person lifestyle plays a role in developing diabetes, and being overweight. Overeating, eating the wrong foods, and not exercising are included in this risk. A person can change the outcome of most diseases by eating healthy, and seeking an exercise routine.
Health care in the future is making strong collaborative efforts between key medical stakeholders and Government to improve the services that are being rendered. This is happening by having a strong increase in vocational training opportunities, across many disciplines. Trainees will be able to access patient care when and where it is needed. The aging are being coached on preventive measures to help them through daily living that will better their overall life. A service that might be offered to those that are overweight in the future could be routine obesity services. These services can offer weight control classes and health education. An incentive can be by offering these services to an overweight person as a fee for service or out of pocket to members. Improving the care of all patients are important for the survival of the world.
In conclusion, our lifestyle along with aging affects our overall body. We can start by eliminating alcohol, smoking, and getting sufficient amounts of rest. To help prevent many disorders that are prevalent in older age patients can start by eating smaller meals throughout the day. Try to eat at the same time daily making sure to chew your food thoroughly. Include a well-balanced meal in your diet consulting with your doctor about nutritional supplements. Another benefit of a healthy lifestyle is the endurance to perform exercises to enhance what you are able to do. Training will allow you to build muscles to support the bones and joints. This help to decrease the possibilities of falls or fractures that can be detrimental to the elderly. Making the necessary changes in your lifestyle and eating behaviors can be challenging, but it can make the difference in your life.

References
Advameg (2012). Population. Retrieved from http://www.pollutionissues.com/Pl- Re/Population.html
Salahi, L. (2010). Staying Fit: Majority of Older Adults Struggle with Weight. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCall/elderly-obesity-older-adults-face-weight- issues/story?id=10985159 Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2007). Obesity Rates Continue to Climb in the United States. Retrieved from http://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-
releases/2007/wang_adult_obesity.html