_____________________________________________________________ Cultural Competence: An Overview
Myth: Gay men and lesbians can be easily identified because they have distinctive characteristics. Fact: Most gay and lesbian individuals conform to the majority of society in the way they dress and act. Further, a person’s appearance is not necessarily an indication of sexual or roman- tic interests. Myth: Gay people want to come into our schools and recruit our children to their “lifestyle.” Fact: Efforts to bring issues related to LGBTQIA+ history and rights into schools are not efforts to “convert,” just as education on European history is not an effort to glamorize or “convert” to European identity. The intent has been to teach a more complete history of the world and to prevent children from mistreating LGBTQIA+ who are often the subjects of harassment and physical attacks. There is no evidence that people could be “recruited” to a gay sexual orientation, even if someone wanted to do this. AGE Elderly patients should be routinely screened for health and mental health conditions using tools specifically developed for this population, despite some practitioners’ discomfort with asking questions about sensitive topics. These population- appropriate assessments may be included in other health screening tools. An emphasis on wellness and purpose is important when work- ing with older adults. In the past, aging was associated with disability, loss, decline, and a separation from occupational productivity. Although patient growth and positive change and development are values that practitioners embrace, the unconscious acceptance of societal myths and stereotypes of aging may prevent practitioners from promoting these values in elderly individuals [74; 77]. Common Myths of Aging Society holds several myths about the elderly. Many of these myths may be easily disputed based on existing demographic survey data and other studies. Myth: Most older adults live alone and are isolated. Fact: In 2023, 68% of men and 47% of women 65 years and older were married. An estimated 28% lived alone [75]. In 2021, an estimated 18% of the U.S. population lived in multigenerational household, compared with 7% in the early 1970s. Several factors have contributed to this trend, includ- ing growing racial and ethnic diversity, financial reasons, and caregiving Individuals 65 years and older comprise nearly 20% of individuals living in multigenerational households [76]. Myth: Most older adults engage in very minimal productive activity. Fact: In 2023, 19% of persons 65 years and older were employed or actively looking for work, representing approxi- mately 7% of all wages and salaries paid by U.S. employers.
The elderly are more engaged in self-employed activities than younger persons. In 2023, 23% of those 65 years of age and older were self-employed, compared with an average of 10%
of those 25 years to 64 years of age [78]. Myth: Life satisfaction is low among the elderly.
Fact: Data from a 2024 survey conducted by the AARP indicate that 9 out of 10 individuals 50 years of age and older are at least somewhat optimistic about their future, with half (49%) being extremely or very optimistic. Approximately 25% of respondents 65 years of age and older reported being very happy, compared to 17% in those 50 to 64 years of age. Most of the factors that predict happiness for the young, such as good health and financial stability, also apply to the elderly. Older adults tend to report higher levels of well-being in part due to the quality of their social relationships; 28% indicate their relationships with friends and family have improved in the last five years, and 45% feel they will continue to get better [79].
PERSONS WITH MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY
Americans with disabilities represent a large and heterogeneous segment of the population. The prevalence of disability var- ies by age group and definition. Based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), which describes disability in terms of functional limitations, 13.6% of the civilian U.S. noninstitutionalized population has a disability, defined as difficulty in hearing or vision, cognitive function, ambulation, self-care, or independent living [80]. Among individuals 3 to 21 years of age in the 2022–2023 school year, 15% of those enrolled in public school had a disability (defined as specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, intellectual disability, emotional disturbance, hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, visual impairments, multiple dis- abilities, deaf-blindness, autism, traumatic brain injury, or developmental delay) [81]. People with disabilities experience many health disparities. Some documented disparities include poorer self-rated health; higher rates of obesity, smoking, and inactivity; fewer cancer screenings (particularly mammography and Pap tests); fewer breast-conserving surgeries when breast cancer is diagnosed; and higher rates of death from breast or lung cancer [82]. Disability cultural competence requires appreciation of social model precepts, which recognize patients’ rights to seek care that meets their expectations and values. The social model of disability has been characterized as centering disability as a social creation rather than an attribute of the patient. As such, disability requires a social/political response in order to improve environmental factors affecting access and acceptance [83]. This involves adoption of person-first language, acknowl- edgement of social and environmental factors impacting persons abilities, and confronting disability-associated stigma.
36
EliteLearning.com/Counselor
Powered by FlippingBook