Supporting Aged Communities Community Participation

Question: 1. Evaluating health care processes designed to promote continuum of care that support empowering the older age people. 2. Analysing the way that primary health care processes have adopted to empower older people. Answer: Introduction The primary health care (PHC) is the 360-degree collaborative functionality of health care providers to provide health care services as per the culture, physical environment, and the socio-political and economic structure of a particular community. This healthcare process is guided by principles that include multisectoral collaboration, equity, accessibility, community participation and empowerment (LeMone et al. 2015). In this study, a critical evaluation of primary health care processes and clear analysis of the ways that primary health care processes have adopted is performed to address the empowerment of older people in the primary healthcare services. This critical evaluation and analysis help to understand the application of primary health care principles to empower older people in health and community services. The Primary Health Care Functionality and Principles to Empower old Age Group in Health and Community Services According to Lacas Rockwood (2012), the functionality of primary health care depends on five guiding principles that structure the complete processes, procedures and working in this healthcare sector. These five principles are accessibility, public participation, health promotion, use of technology and intersectoral collaboration. Each and every kind of process developed in PHC system depends on either one or more of these guiding principles. De Maeseneer et al. (2011) studied that primary health care concerns to empower aged group services involve care continuity, providing clinical community services, supporting self-management, education, integrating illness prevention, promoting health and community care development with primary health care approaches. All these processes are shaped as per the guiding principles of PHC. However, Lacas Rockwood (2012) indicated that random and unexpected changes like population demographics, more chronic illnesses, increased healthcare demand and lack of health awareness lead to a depreciation in primary health care services implemented for the old age group. Morley et al. (2013) studied the rationale provided by WHO to empower old age group services in primary health care at the universal level. This rationale indicates there is around 600 million old age people (above 60 years) globally that will accelerate to double by 2025. Till that time every single aged person will face certain chronic health conditions. Therefore, the increasing demands of old age public health care implement the requirement to address the demographic trends and empower healthcare services for the old age group. The PHC services are very effective means to promote and support quality healthcare at local and community level. Smith et al. (2012) studied that primary health care centres are most effective, accessible and workable sources for old age people to gather health recovery. These are principle vehicles to deliver effective old age health care services at the community as well as local level. These PHC centres acquire and implement different approaches or processes that specifically address the health care needs of old age group. These approaches function by adopting certain specific strategies and ways to empower old age group healthcare by providing special care, attention and service delivery. The report critically analysis the existing PHC processes and ways that enhance PHC functionality to address old age empowerment in the community and local healthcare services. 1. According to Beard Bloom (2015), one of the most outstanding and effective primary healthcare processes is the development of age-friendly primary health care. This process is the application of public participation and intersectoral collaboration principles of PHC to deliver old age care empowerment. This process will enable autonomy, combat ageism and support aged health policies at all levels as per WHO. Along with the biological factors, the environmental factors also helps to enhance physical and mental well-being. Therefore, the age-friendly environment provides a specifically determined primary health care ways that work to induce a friendly environment for this age group empowering their healthcare processes (Blas Kurup, 2010). Clegg et al. (2013) studied that age-friendly process in PHC works to improve professional training and education, specific PHC management system for old age group and making healthcare accessibility easier for old age to enhance empowerment. Petterson et al. (2012) studied that 90% of Australian primary healthcare system in response to changing demographics, disabilities of old age and lack of accessibility, have adopted residential aged care assessment and services process to support old age health care empowerment. This process highly addresses the health promotion and accessibility principles of PHC where residential health care is facilitated to comfort and empower the old age vulnerable unable to access the PHC facilities. These residential services are meant to overrule the accessibility issue PHC services for old age people. This process delivers independent living, self-management, comfortable healthcare and specific attention for the old age group of community or local area. Huntley et al. (2012) studied that Victorian aged care centres adopt the agenda of residential care to improve quality and accessibility of PHC service delivery to old age vulnerable. Another PHC process studied by Smith et al. (2012) is an older people acute assessment and management unit in PHC centres. This process is application of accessibility, use of technology and intersectoral collaboration PHC principles in healthcare. This unit functions to improve onsite complex care, ensures safety and provide discharge options like community, home transition care packages to old age group. This process in considered collaboration of multidisciplinary assessment, tailored treatment and consultation care planning processes. The unit established in primary care centres works to manage both patient and organization outcomes. Lacas Rockwood (2012) studied one similar process adopted by Australian Department of Health known as Health assessment for people aged 75 years and older. This process provides a structured process to access the health issues specifically for the old age group. The assessment tools and techniques are designed as per old age health assessment requir ements. Therefore, this process empowers old age care maintenance by determining their physical, functional social and psychological issues of health. Bostock Steptoe (2012) studied another process to provide effective primary health care for old age group is the improvement in safety, performance and accountability. This PHC process is the application of public participation, intersectoral collaboration and health promotion principles. This process functions a framework developed to deliver quick GP services assessment, coordinative healthcare working and prevention of health risk. There are different strategies involves in developing this strong framework to provide quality and safety for old age in PHC environment. The Australian Capital territory primary health care framework involves this process as a very important part to establish quality and safety. 2. The primary health care processes depend on different ways or strategies that help the professional to attain the vision of their particular PHC improvement empowering healthcare for old age. Beard Bloom (2015) studied the ways adopted to deliver age-friendly PHC environment benefiting old age group. There are three key themes of this process that are manipulating the attitudes of professionals, adapting PHC management and making easier accessibility. In the very first theme, the attitude is modified with training and education to change the disrespectful, dismissive, ignorant and careless treatment attitude of professionals. For PHC management strategy to overcome gender issue and language hindrance are managed with effective communication. The health literacy, efficient resources, cost management and minimising waiting times were ways adopted to deliver easier accessibility in PHC scenario. Lacas Rockwood (2012) studied that special consultation services, continuity of care an d changing the physical environment for old people also support age-friendly primary health care. According to Petterson et al. (2012), residential aged care assessment and services are service options provided by PHC that helps to address the special care needs of old age group. The strategies for this process involve provider-user partnership, education, self-management and self-care. The provider-user partnership helps to deliver collaborative and integrated health care beneficial for both users as well as providers. In this partnership sharing to responsibility is the major process that delivers self-management. The strategy of education helps the professional in delivering effective knowledge to the patient that is beneficial for their health. Further, self-management and care are part of education where the vulnerable is taught the ways to manage their own health in an effective manner. In this manner, residential aged care delivers old age empowerment in health care. Smith et al. (2012) studied the ways adopted to address the process of the assessment and management unit in PHC centres. The strategy was to perform assessment of patient medication, patient continence, patient immunisation, physical function, psychological function and patient social function. This overall assessment strategy helps to understand the overall health condition, nutrition status, social activities, oral health and dentition for the old age group. This process uses the most recent technologies like electronic data, e-prescriptions, medical records etc. to manage the care process. This assessment process is a detailed one specifically designed for 75 years and above patients to address empowerment and quality PHC services. According to Bostock Steptoe (2012) for quality, performance, safety and accountability betterment process in PHC services involves various action areas that promote quality and safety for the old age group. The very first action involves following national authorities, policies and regulations provided for the old age group to establish performance in primary health care. The second action is to implement or manipulate organization infrastructure as per the requirements of old age patient or provide special care zones in the organization for old age group patients. The next action or strategy is to promote innovation and research related to old age treatment and care. Further, the action involves effective processes to monitor and evaluate the health and well-being outcomes to establish quality in healthcare of old age people (Berwick, 2010). Conclusion The contemporary processes of primary healthcare of elder people are completely involved in addressing the principles and vision of effective health care in coming future. Some of the most justified processes that address the PHC principles application in healthcare scenario and are helpful in empowering old people healthcare are, the age-friendly environment, residential aged care, assessment and management unit for elders and improving safety, quality, performance and accountability in PHC functionality. The ways or strategies that are helpful in delivering effective processes involve education, staff training, proper management, professionalism, and much more. These ways for each specific process are evaluated in the report indicating that these processes persist a promising approach of providing good healthcare for older people in primary health care. With the use of such effectual processes, it would be easier to manage the increasing older health demands in coming future global ly. References Books Berwick, D. M. (2010).Escape fire: designs for the future of health care. John Wiley Sons. Blas, E., Kurup, A. S. (2010).Equity, social determinants and public health programmes. World Health Organization. LeMone, P., Burke, K., Dwyer, T., Levett-Jones, T., Moxham, L., Reid-Searl, K. (2015).Medical-surgical nursing. Pearson Higher Education AU. Journals Beard, J. R., Bloom, D. E. (2015). Towards a comprehensive public health response to population ageing.Lancet (London, England),385(9968), 658-661. Bostock, S., Steptoe, A. (2012). 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