University Aged Care Discussion: Community Care and Support Analysis

This discussion post focuses on aged care and the importance of community support for the elderly. The post highlights the desire of the Australian aged population for a healthy, independent life and emphasizes the shared responsibility of families, the government, and paid carers in providing care. It identifies six priority areas to promote health, well-being, and financial support for the aged, advocating for community-based care to enable older people to remain in their homes. The discussion also touches upon the need to address feelings of isolation and depression among residents in care facilities, encouraging social activities and a sense of belonging. Furthermore, it references Maslow's hierarchy of needs, stressing the importance of meeting basic needs before addressing emotional and psychological needs, and the role of support agencies like Carer South in assisting those affected by dementia. The post underscores the significance of a holistic approach to aged care, involving both formal and informal support systems.

Running head: AGED CARE
Aged Care
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

2AGED CARE

3AGED CARE
Online discussion: Activity 2
By Angela Herd - Tuesday, 12 September 2017, 1:43 PM
As far as the Australian old aged population is concerned, they wish to have a healthy,
free and independent life. This work of care giving must be shared between the family, the
Government and the paid carers (Nagata et al., 2016). Efforts are to be made so that the
community as a whole must care for the aged people. Six priority areas have been identified in
order to promote health and wellbeing, resilience and also to provide financial support to the
aged people. These six areas are recognition and respect, information and access, economic
security, services for carers, education and training, and health and well-being. As responsible
members of a community, we must get together and see that proper care is given to the older
people so that they do not have to seek shelter in the retirement villages or anywhere away from
their houses. Living alone during the old age can be one of the major factors leading to the entry
in the residential homes. Hence, care must be taken so that the community as a whole supports
the old people and also shares this task of old age care (Edvardsson et al., 2014). The community
must arrange for all the facilities like pathological, intense high level nursing etc. If all these
services can be rendered to the old people from the community itself, then the old people might
be able to stay at home for the maximum length of their lifetime.
Re: Online discussion: Activity 2
By Tara Lee O'Donoghue - Monday, 18 September 2017, 3:54 PM

4AGED CARE
The care giving process to the older people must be a cumulative process undertaken by
the entire community. The community must arrange for all the facilities like pathological, intense
high level nursing etc. If all these services can be rendered to the old people from the community
itself, then the old people might be able to stay at home for the maximum length of their lifetime.
While dealing with the aged people, one must know how to develop a sense of belonging among
them ( Alexander et al.,2016). In other words the old people have to be made involved with
others, which in turn will promote their well being. After thorough interview, it was seen that the
residents of the residential cares often feel ignored dm neglected. They suffer from depression
and from the fear and pain of separation from their family. However, in order to save them from
this depression, they need to be encouraged from time to time for taking part in various social
activities. They must also be encouraged to adapt easily with the new social surrounding. In
other words, they must be given a better life in the residential care units then what they had
before in their home.
Re: Online discussion: Activity 2
By Calandra Estelle Dango - Monday, 18 September 2017, 6:58 PM
It is a known fact that the old people are to be given proper affection and care. This care
has to be rendered by following the different layers of the Maslow theory. According to this
theory, the first layer is that of the basic food, clothing and shelter need that needs to be given to
the aged people. It is only after satisfying these basic needs that the elders can be made to feel at
home. It is only after achieving this comfort zone that the community must try to render the
esteem needs of the elder individuals. As they are separated from their near and dear ones in the

5AGED CARE
retirement houses, they are in utter need of love, belongingness and love. This is the collective
responsibility of the family members, the retirement centers and even the state as a while to
provide to these emotional needs. Prior to everything, it must be the utmost duty of the family
members to render this emotional support in an informal way that is without any payment. It is
after this stage, that they can get the feel of safety. As it is already very tough to stay in a whole
new environment without their own family members. So, it is of utmost importance that their
psychological needs are fulfilled.
Re: Online discussion: Activity 2
By Winsome Augusta Norma Van den Bossche - Tuesday, 19 September 2017, 5:09 PM
It is a known fact that the older people often suffer from dementia when they grow old.
Rather them neglecting them, their families must take the help of different agencies like the
Carer South organization (Broad et al., 2013). This organization is there to help the dementia
affected patient and their family.
They make the Matter easy by talking with the family of the patient and also by arranging
several concerts and functions where the patient can enjoy and spent time with his family.

6AGED CARE
References
Alexander, G., Abbott, P., Fossum, M., Shaw, R. J., Yu, P., & Alexander, M. M. (2016). The
future of informatics in aged care: an international perspective.
Broad, J. B., Ashton, T., Gott, M., McLeod, H., Davis, P. B., & Connolly, M. J. (2015).
Likelihood of residential aged care use in later life: A simple approach to estimation with
international comparison. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 39(4),
374-379.
Broad, J. B., Gott, M., Kim, H., Boyd, M., Chen, H., & Connolly, M. J. (2013). Where do people
die? An international comparison of the percentage of deaths occurring in hospital and
residential aged care settings in 45 populations, using published and available
statistics. International Journal of Public Health, 58(2), 257-267.
Edvardsson, D., Petersson, L., Sjogren, K., Lindkvist, M., & Sandman, P. O. (2014). Everyday
activities for people with dementia in residential aged care: associations with person‐
centredness and quality of life. International Journal of Older People Nursing, 9(4), 269-
276.
Nagata, S., Asahara, T., Wang, C., Suyama, Y., Chonan, O., Takano, K., .. & Yamashiro, Y.
(2016). The effectiveness of Lactobacillus beverages in controlling infections among the
residents of an aged care facility: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind
trial. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 68(1), 51-59.