Older adults are often economically vulnerable because their cost of care can exceed their income. In particular, chronic illness increases an older adult’s dependency and cost of living.

Why are the disabled and elderly considered vulnerable populations?

Vulnerable populations include groups across the age spectrum. The elderly are, or may become, too old or sick to care for themselves. In addition, because they are too old to work, their income may decline. Individuals with disabilities may not be able to work, and thus have little income.

What is considered a vulnerable population?

Vulnerable populations include patients who are racial or ethnic minorities, children, elderly, socioeconomically disadvantaged, underinsured or those with certain medical conditions. Members of vulnerable populations often have health conditions that are exacerbated by unnecessarily inadequate healthcare.

Why are the elderly more vulnerable to abuse?

Risk factors Individual level characteristics which increase the risk of becoming a victim of abuse include functional dependence/disability, poor physical health, cognitive impairment, poor mental health and low income.

Why are vulnerable populations important?

Vulnerable populations, defined as those at greater risk for poor health status and healthcare access, experience significant disparities in life expectancy, access to and use of healthcare services, morbidity, and mortality. This population is also likely to have 1 or more physical and/or mental health conditions.

What are the 4 main types of vulnerability?

The different types of vulnerability In the table below four different types of vulnerability have been identified, Human-social, Physical, Economic and Environmental and their associated direct and indirect losses.

What are vulnerable groups in society?

This term is applied to groups of people (children, pregnant women, elderly people, malnourished people, prisoners, migrants and refugees, people who uses drugs, and people who are ill or immunocompromized, etc.)

What are vulnerable populations in nursing?

Vulnerable populations are defined as groups who are at increased risk of receiving a disparity in medical care on the basis of financial circumstances or social characteristics such as age, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, spirituality, disability, or socioeconomic or insurance status.

How does age affect vulnerability?

Key facts: Advanced age by itself does not create vulnerability. However, certain problems that are more common in old age can increase vulnerability. They include decreased strength, poor tolerance of physical activity, functional limitations, and decreased sensory awareness.

What are the risk factors of elder abuse?

Risk factors for elder abuse

• Depression in the caregiver.
• Lack of support from other potential caregivers.
• The caregiver’s perception that taking care of the elder is burdensome and without emotional reward.
• Substance abuse by the caregiver.
• The intensity of the elderly person’s illness or dementia.

How does age increase the risk of abuse?

Isolation of both older people and carers is a known risk factor for elder abuse. When combined with factors such as cultural diversity, older age and frailty, and poor health literacy, isolation is associated with increased risk for mistreatment and elder abuse.

What are vulnerable communities?

Vulnerable populations are groups and communities at a higher risk for poor health as a result of the barriers they experience to social, economic, political and environmental resources, as well as limitations due to illness or disability.

On what basis were the elderly and the poor regarded as vulnerable groups for whom special government sponsored programs needed to be created?

The elderly and the poor could not afford the cost of health care, the elderly had higher incidences and prevalence of disease and provision of charity care led to private payers being charged more for cost-shifting/cross subsidization is why these groups were vulnerable for whom special government-sponsored programs

Why are vulnerable populations considered vulnerable quizlet?

Group within population that is more likely to develop health problems as a result of exposure to risk or to have worse outcomes from these health problems than the population as a whole.