SDH Discussion in relation to racial, ethnic, LGBT, or other minority/disadvantaged groups related to older adults - SDH Discussion Board 2

Respond to these posts, each response can be 50 – 100 words. Use the readings below the posts as sources.

1) Older adults from a minority/disadvantaged group are associated with lower socioeconomic status and this increases their exposure to systemic stressors. For example, these stressors could be from discrimination, lack of social support, and economic instability. Some of these stressors increase the risk for chronic health conditions and these conditions can often hinder independence in older adults.
As mentioned in the video The Challenge We Face: Ethnicity and Aging in the United States, the greater degree of chronic conditions in these disadvantaged groups impact their functional status and quality of life. The video mentioned ethnic elders developing chronic disease earlier than other groups and having to live with it for a larger proportion of time. Developing a disease earlier is linked to faster aging and can impact the lives of older adults if they lose independence at an earlier age. For example, if an older adult from a low-income neighborhood were to have decreased mobility, they might have problems with accessibility. If their neighborhood is not accessible, their source of food could be limited to fast food and convenience stores ( like mentioned in the video Determinants of Health: A Framework for Reaching Healthy People 2020 Goals). It also does not help that these food options are cheaper than organic fruits and vegetables. Not having easy access to healthy food can lead to illness or further complications of chronic conditions.
2) One of the biggest failures our country faces is the disparity in health care provided to disadvantaged, minority groups of people. In the video Minority Health Disparities, Michelle stated that at one point she had to decided whether to eat or pay for her medicine. This is a tragedy and unfortunately the case for many people who are older and belong to minority groups.
Nancy Morioka-Douglas of the Stanford Geriatric Education Center noted in the video The Challenge We Face: Ethnicity and Aging in the United States, “more ethnic elders in the largest populations are poorer, less well-educated, and have more chronic health conditions than the average older Americans.” Additionally, she indicated that people were more likely to live in poverty if they were not white. A human being who has a lesser education and does not have a good or steady source of income does not deserve to receive lesser health care than the average American.
How do we deal with this as nurses? As Michelle stated in Minority Health Disparities, the problem that needs to be fixed is systemic. Without being able to change the foundation of our healthcare system, we need to start with our patients. We need to educate our patients with chronic illnesses to prioritize healthy eating and not waiting to seek treatment when they have a crisis. We can also help them find lower cost clinics for preventive care as well as making sure they have access to all programs available through local governments.
3) After going over this week’s reading material, I started to reflect more deeply on the things that I’ve seen with regards to LGBT elders and the negative impact they experience.
I always knew that older people who are part of the LGBT community existed, but I never really paid attention to how much we lack representation on this topic. I’ve been more accustomed to seeing and hearing about LGBT elders through films or even in patient charts, but not much in person or from a friend. I was surprised to learn that there are more than 2.7 million LGBT adults ages 50 or older living in communities across the country, and it’s highly probable that many more millions exist but aren’t “out” due to societal stigma or fear of discrimination (Understanding Issues Facing LGBT Older Adults).
I feel like being a minority and an LGBT elder already comes with a strong negative stigma because of one’s cultural upbringing. Many of my older and more traditional family members, for example, view LGBT elders as something completely out of this world. That’s because, in their mind, older people are supposed to know what they want in life, which is to have a family and a home to retire in. This type of mentality is dangerous and damaging because it instills fear, disappointment, and shame in those who are part of the LGBT community. Factors like this discourage the elderly to accept their sexuality and find their happiness.

There are 5 different components of reading.
1. Minority and LGBT Issues: