Palliative Care in Pennsylvania
Palliative care is usually a specialized care that is given to people with chronic illness. The care aims at providing relief from the symptoms of chronic illness and stress that can be associated with the illness. The rural community I will discuss is Southwest while the urban community will be Bloomsburg. Pennsylvania is a country that is located in the United States and has many and different programs aimed at helping the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.
The health promotion program that is available to older adults in Southwest is SWPA Area Agency on Aging which aims at promoting the well being of elder people in the community. The program is usually well planned, coordinated and collaborative where t includes health and social services. The program is under contract with other b34 local agencies to ensure that comprehensive services for older adults are provided. The program is a non-profit corporation and is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. The program gives the beneficiaries a chance to chose the healthcare provider of their choice who will take care of the health services. The services and information that are offered by this program include protective services, health promotion, employment assistance, legal assistance, adult day care, information and assistance, home and community-based services, transportation. Senior community centers, home-delivered meals, and advocacy.
The challenge that this program is likely to face is lack of enough funds to cater for all the elderly in the community. This is because it is a non-profit organization that depends largely on Department of Aging located in Pennsylvania. My recommendation is for the program to seek external sponsors and well-wishers who will ensure that the program is effective in meeting all the services and information offered by it.
The health promotion program that is available to older adults in Bloomsburg is Center for Healthy Aging which was created to offer health benefits to elder adults within the state. The program uses an inte-professional approach in addressing the needs of the older adults as well as the professionals who take care of the older adults. The program also focuses on medical research which will enable it to address the increasing challenges for the elderly and prepares to accommodate the increased number of the elderly in the society. The program is sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services. Other sponsors of the program include Abbott Nutrition, GSK, Walmart, Sanofi-Biosurgery and Archstone Foundation. The program also has partnered with other programs to ensure that the health of the elderly is enhanced and which also facilitates complete care to the older adults. The services and information that are offered by the program include health promotion, development of optimal aging programs, management of chronic disease in the diverse, education, research and interdisciplinary services for the older population. The program ensures that the elderly together with their caregivers are taken care of which ensures prolonged and healthier life for the elderly.
The challenge the program is likely to face is the implementation of the program in most parts of the community. This is because the program has to catch up with the rapidly expanding demographic of older adults which can be a challenge if the resources are not sufficient.
My recommendation is that the program should involve all stakeholders in the implementation stage to make sure that ideas generated to assist in the implementation. Creation if awareness about the program will also ensure the success of the program in the community.