The senior citizen population is at increased risk for health disparities or gaps in care due to issues such as lack of family or support, low income, and geographical location.  Because of these gaps, this population often suffers.  They can have problems with transportation and may be unable to access routine medical care, leading to increased emergency room visits (Kwiatkowski & Gyurmey, 2019).  This creates a burden on resources and finances in the healthcare system.  It is imperative that older adults have options to help them maintain their health at home and to be able to access medical care.  This is a main function of community programs.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) is a community program that provides various types of assistance, such as transportation, meals, and utility assistance to senior citizens that have low income (National Council on Aging, n.d.). By providing this assistance, the program helps to bridge the gap in the healthcare of the elder population.  For instance, older adults with fewer assets will often have poor nutritional intake, which can have an adverse effect on their health (Bird & McClelland, 2017). NCOA providing meals helps to combat this issue.  By aiding with utilities, NCOA also relieves some financial burden on the elderly, which they can then utilize for another need. Furthermore, by providing transportation, the program allows senior citizens to make routine medical visits, or to make an appointment with a doctor for an illness, rather than to go to the emergency room. The NCOA and other community programs make a significant impact on the ability of senior citizens to maintain their health and independence at home.

References

Bird, C. L., & McClelland, J. W. (2017). Educating limited resource older adults for better choices to lower risk of food insecurity. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 41(2), 225–233. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12333

Kwiatkowski, J., & Gyurmey, T. (2019). Program of all-inclusive care for the elderly (PACE): Integrating health and social care since 1973. Rhode Island Medical Journal, 102(5), 30–32. http://www.rimed.org/rimedicaljournal/2019/06/2019-06-30-imsc-kwiatkowski.pdf

National Council on Aging. (n.d.). You gave, now save guide to benefits for seniors. Retrieved November 8, 2020 from https://www.ncoa.org/economic-security/money-management/budgeting/you-gave-now-save-benefits-for-seniors/#intraPageNav0