Elderly

Section 1- Biblical Foundation

Quote 1: Psalm 71:9 (KJV); Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

Quote 2: Isaiah 46:4 (KJV) And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Quote 3: Job 12:12 (KJV) With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

Quote 4: Psalm 92:14 (KJV) They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

Quote 5: Titus 2:1-3 (KJV) But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Quote 6: 1 Timothy 5:1-2 (KJV) Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren;The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.

Quote 7: Leviticus 19:32 (KJV)Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the Lord.

Quote 8: 1 Peter 5:5 (KJV) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Section 2- Societal Need

According to the Population Reference Bureau (2016), the elderly in the United States aged 65 years and above stood at 46 million in 2016 and was projected to be double the number in 2060. This represents a 15% of the total population (Mather, 2016). The baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964 are key drivers to the older population in the United States. It has been observed that the elderly population is increasingly being more racially and ethnically diverse. The Population Reference Bureau estimates that between 2014 and 20160, the proportion of the elderly population comprised of non-Hispanic white would reduce from 78.3% to 54.6% (Mather, 2016). The recent trends have seen the older adults engaged in work for longer. As at 2014, 23% of males and 15% of female were in the labor force. These numbers are projected to increase to 27% for men and 20% for females by 2022 (Mather, 2016). The Census Bureau estimated that the median income for households aged 65 years and above in 2015 was $38,515. 8.8% of the elderly population in the United States in 2015 were found to be in poverty compared to 10% in 2014 (United Stated Census Bureau , 2017). There were an estimated 9.3 million elderly people aged 65 and above who were veterans and served the nation.

The elderly population is highly affected by an increased prevalence of chronic diseases. It is noted that elderly population in most cases have multiple health conditions, are on different medications, and in most cases require more frequent interaction with healthcare providers. It is indicated that among those over 65 years, 98% are estimated to have at least two concurrent chronic diseases (Rowe, Berkman, Fried, Fulmer, Jackson, Naylor, & Stone, 2016). Despite the elderly population making up an estimated 15% of the total population, it is estimated that they account for approximately 34% of the national health expenditures. It is indicated that the care needs for the elderly population is changing rapidly. It is estimated that by 2030, approximately 40% of population over 65 years is likely to have diabetes and 80% likely to have hypertension (Rowe et al. 2016).

Another issue facing the elderly population is loneliness. As age advances, their social circles shrink. In its report, AARP indicated that over 35% of the respondents in a survey were categorized as lonely (Wilson & Moulton, 2010). It was indicated that lonely elders are less likely to engage in activities involving social networks such as religious services, volunteering, and community organization. Loneliness was indicated as a huge determinant of poor health.

The population at the global level is ageing, with every country across the globe experiencing an increase in the number and proportion of older people. According to a report on World Population Prospects by the United Nations, the number the elderly aged 60 years and above is estimated to double by 2050 from 962 million older people globally in 2017 to 2.1 billion in 2050 (United Nations , 2017). In 2017, the proportion of the older people aged 60 years and above was 13 % of the entire global population. According to the World Atlas, it is estimated that Japan has the largest proportion of the elderly citizens being 26.3% percent of the population. Other include Italy with 22.4%, Greece 21.4%, Germany 221.2%, and Portugal with 20.8% (World Atlas, 2018). The World Health Organization indicates that by 2050, 80% of the older people will be found in low- and middle-income countries (World Health Organization , 2018).

Section 3- Ministries

1. HelpAge International (http://www.helpage.org/)

HelpAge International is a worldwide network of organizations that seek to promote the rights of all older people and assist them to have dignified, healthy and secure lives. The mission statement of HelpAge International is to promote the wellbeing and inclusion of older women and men and reduce poverty and discrimination in later life. This organization collaborates with older men and women from low and middle-income countries to ensure that they get better services and policies and to attain changes in behavior s and attitudes for individuals and societies towards old age. HelpAge measures its effectiveness by being determining the level of accountability with the donors, partners, public, and the elder population that they serve. This is attained through external evaluations of the high value contracts, sharing and reviewing the learning from their different initiatives, as well as measuring and documenting their performance relative to the plans and strategy in the annual report.

• Medical Rights Center (https://www.medicarerights.org/)

This is a national and non-profit consumer service organization that aims to ensure access to affordable healthcare for older adults and people with disabilities. To achieve its mission, The Medical Rights Center works to provide kind, unbiased health insurance counselling, act as an independent counselor, educator and advocate, offer expert, accessible information on Medicare and Medicaid, and get lasting solution to systemic problems that hinder people from accessing needed health coverage and care. Medicare Rights Center measures its effectiveness with regard to the number of elderly population offered assistance through it different programs.

• Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly (http://littlebrotherssf.org/)

This is a San-Francisco-based non-profit organization that seeks to relieve isolation and loneliness among the elderly in the city by pairing them with volunteers. The organization serves people who are over 65 years through outreach, advocacy, and companionship. The organization always endeavors to review its programs to ensure that they address the unmet needs of the elders. Some of the initiatives adopted by the organization include consistent home social interaction and enhancing increased connectivity to the outside world. The organization measures its effectiveness by measuring how many elderly people is engages in its program and determining whether the interaction provided life-enriching experience.

References

Mather, M. (2016). Fact Sheet: Aging in the United States. Retrieved from Population Reference Bureau : https://www.prb.org/aging-unitedstates-fact-sheet/

Rowe, J. W., Berkman, L., Fried, L., Fulmer, T., Jackson, J., Naylor, M., … & Stone, R. (2016). Preparing for Better Health and Health Care for an Aging Population: A Vital Direction for Health and Health Care. National Academy of Medicine.

United Nations . (2017). Ageing . Retrieved from https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2017_KeyFindings.pdf

United Stated Census Bureau . (2017). Facts for Features: Older Americans Month: May 2017. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2017/cb17-ff08.html

Wilson, C., & Moulton, B. (2010). Loneliness among older adults: A national survey of adults 45+. Prepared by Knowledge Networks and Insight Policy Research. Washington, DC: AAR Retrieved from: http://assets. aarp. org/rgcenter/general/loneliness_2010. pdf.

World Atlas. (2018). Countries with the Largest Aging Population in the World. Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-largest-aging-population-in-the-world.html

World Health Organization . (2018). Aging and Health . Retrieved from http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health