NURS 6540 Week 10: Advocating care for a Vulnerable Population

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NURS 6540 Week 10: Advocating care for a Vulnerable Population essay assignment

NURS 6540: Advanced Practice Care of Frail Elders | Week 10 essay assignment

Advocacy is about taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain the services they need.

—Advocacy Access

Advocacy for the care of the geriatric population is essential as the needs of this vulnerable population are not always fulfilled. Consider the geriatric patient who is in need of financial assistance with medical care or the patient who does not eat properly because she has to buy expensive prescriptions. Think about the elderly woman who cares for her husband who is prone to falling or the Alzheimer’s patient who lives alone and has no family nearby. Reflect on the growing problem of elder abuse, which is sometimes inflicted by family members and others entrusted with the care of loved ones. As an advanced practice nurse, how can you get involved? What is your role in service, advocacy, and policy making? How can you help resolve social or legal issues in geriatrics?

This week, you explore advocacy actions and campaigns for the elderly, as well as policies designed to improve the care of frail elders. Then, with the advocacy needs of elders in mind, you examine elder abuse.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, students will:

• Analyze advocacy actions and campaigns for the elderly
• Analyze policies to improve the care of frail elders
• Evaluate the impact of community issues on advocacy actions
• Analyze strategies and resources related to supporting abused elders*
• Analyze the impact of culture on the prevalence, detection, and prevention of elder abuse*

Discussion: Community Advocacy Agencies essay assignment

Having received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and encountering the associated stigmas, Michael Ellenbogen encourages increased advocacy efforts for the geriatric population struggling with this disease. He says, “We did nothing wrong to get this disease, and we need to speak up to let our voice be heard…There are no excuses for not wanting to help. The human cost factor is too high, and we are all accountable to do something” (Ellenbogen, 2012). As an advanced practice nurse caring for the geriatric population, it is important for you to join in advocacy efforts within your community whether it is in support of Alzheimer’s or another prevalent need such as abuse. You should be aware of community agencies that advocate for the well-being and care of your local geriatric population, as these agencies often provide resources and assistance to the elderly in need. In your role of care, you are able to identify prevalent needs and work with patients, their families, and agencies to promote change and impact lives.

To prepare:

• Review this week’s media presentation, as well as the American Geriatric Society’s Public Policy and Advocacy website in the Learning Resources.
• Locate and research two agencies that advocate for the elderly in your community. Consider their current advocacy actions and/or campaigns.
• Reflect on your experiences and observations at your practicum site. Consider new advocacy actions you might suggest to the agencies you selected. Based on these advocacy actions, think about new policies that might improve the care of the population at your current practicum site.

By Day 3

Post a description of two agencies that advocate for the elderly in your community, including their current advocacy actions and/or campaigns. Then, explain new advocacy actions you might suggest to these agencies based on your experiences and observations at your practicum site. With these advocacy actions in mind, suggest at least one new policy that might improve the care of the population at your current practicum site.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days in different practicum settings than you. Explain issues within your own community that might impact the advocacy actions and policies suggested by your colleagues.