Chapter 5: Supporting Aging in Place: A Physical Therapist’s Toolkit 4 CCUs
By: Monique Chabot, OTD, OTR/L, CAPS, CLIPP Learning objectives After completing this course, the learner will be able to: Describe how psychosocial factors and medical conditions associated with the aging process influence aging in place. Differentiate between the roles of various home design professionals. Course overview This course is designed to assist physical therapists and physical therapy assistants in evaluating, planning, and preparing their older adult clients to age in place. This toolkit will highlight the role physical therapy plays in aging in place. Also, each participant will gain the understanding and application of home modification concepts as well as identify resources and funding for home modification projects. Because our aging clients have Implicit bias in healthcare Implicit bias significantly affects how healthcare professionals perceive and make treatment decisions, ultimately resulting in disparities in health outcomes. These biases, often unconscious and unintentional, can shape behavior and produce differences in medical care along various lines, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, and socioeconomic status. Healthcare disparities stemming from implicit bias can manifest in several ways. For example, a healthcare provider might unconsciously give less attention to a patient or make assumptions about their medical needs based on race, gender, or age. The unconscious assumptions can lead to delayed or inadequate care, misdiagnoses, or inappropriate treatments, all of which can adversely impact health outcomes. Addressing
Select appropriate home assessments and modifications for potential client needs. Utilize effective communication techniques when discussing home modifications with potential clients. Identify further educational opportunities and resources in aging in place. a desire to remain in their homes, this course will provide the necessary tools to enhance the quality of life for older adults to allow them to participate in meaningful activities and enable them to remain in their homes as they age and make the necessary modifications to do so. This course is an intermediate- to advanced-level course for clinicians working in the area of home modification and environmental safety. implicit bias in healthcare is crucial for achieving equity in medical treatment. Strategies to combat these biases involve education and awareness programs for healthcare professionals. These programs help individuals recognize and acknowledge their biases, fostering a more empathetic and unbiased approach to patient care. Additionally, implementing policies and procedures prioritizing equitable treatment for all patients can play a pivotal role in reducing healthcare disparities. Ultimately, confronting implicit bias in healthcare is essential to creating a more just and equitable healthcare system where everyone receives fair and equal treatment regardless of their background or characteristics.
STATISTICS ON AGING AND ENVIRONMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES
A growing number of older adults reach the age of 65 every day in the United States. This figure is expected to continue to grow over the next several decades. To address the needs of Demographics of older adults in the United States Approximately 10,000 Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) turn age 65 every year; once the entire Baby Boomer generation reaches this age, they will account for 76 million individuals and 18% of the American population (Cohn & Taylor, 2010). Currently, 14.5% (one in seven adults or 46.2 million people) of the population is over 65 years old (Administration on Aging [AOA], 2015). There will be a projected number of 98 million older adults in the United States by the year 2060. Not only is the number of older adults increasing; they are living longer. People reaching the age of 65 are currently expected to live an additional 19.3 years on average (AOA, 2015). Older adults intend to remain in their homes as long as possible, living as active a life as imaginable. The desire to continue living at home creates a great need for professionals trained in home modifications and design for older adults, especially because there is a shortage of appropriate housing options for older adults in this country.
this growing portion of the population, one must understand the people who comprise the different generations aging into older adulthood.
There is an exponential growth in a number of all older adults in the United States (see Figures 1 and 2). It is worth noting that the growing cultural diversity of older adults is a demographic shift as a whole in the country. The percentage of Caucasian older adults is expected to drop over the next few decades, while the number of Hispanic older adults is anticipated to triple. At the same time, older adults of Asian or African- American backgrounds are also growing in number (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2013). Different cultural backgrounds, values, and contexts play a substantial role in people’s attitude toward aging, desires to age in place, and construct of a household. They also impact the clinician’s approach to recommendation of home modifications due to values and beliefs, which will be addressed in a later section.
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