What makes the elderly population vulnerable?

Vulnerability refers to one's general condition or state, such as age, gender (or incarceration status). For example, seniors are vulnerable by virtue of their relatively decreased physical capacity. “Risk” refers to specific causes to which one is exposed.

Moreover, what makes the elderly vulnerable?

It is important to recognize that vulnerable seniors suffering from mental illness, cognitive deficits, or functional impairment are not necessarily incapable of making decisions. Older adults may become vulnerable and live at risk because of cognitive, psychosocial, and/or physical problems.

One may also ask, what is the most vulnerable population? Vulnerable populations include the economically disadvantaged, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured, low-income children, the elderly, the homeless, those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and those with other chronic health conditions, including severe mental illness.

Then, what makes a population at risk or vulnerable?

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.

What are older adults at risk for?

Factors that can increase an older person's risk of developing anxiety or depression include: an increase in physical health problems/conditions e.g. heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease. chronic pain.

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What makes a person vulnerable?

The Department of Health defines a vulnerable adult as a person aged 18 years or over who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness, and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or

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.

Why are the elderly more prone to infection?

Older patients are more susceptible to infections because their immune systems are weaker. They also may have additional conditions that open the door for infection. Chronic age-related diseases can contribute to weakness as well.

What are the typical factors you should consider when working with older adults?

Psychological issues experienced by older adults may differ according to factors such as age cohort, gender, race, ethnicity and cultural background, sexual orientation, disability status, rural/frontier living status, education and socioeconomic status, and religion.

What is disaster management vulnerability?

Vulnerability is the inability to resist a hazard or to respond when a disaster has occurred. For instance, people who live on plains are more vulnerable to floods than people who live higher up.

What are some of the underlying problems with the current approach to services for vulnerable populations?

One or more of these characteristics or parameters may be sufficient to identify a vulnerable community:

lack of access to primary care services;
poor economy, high unemployment rates, and limited economic resources;
high rates of uninsurance and underinsurance;

What are the 4 main types of vulnerability?

Types of Vulnerabilities - Physical, Social, Economic, Attitudinal Vulnerability | Monitoring and Evaluation Studies.

What is the synonym of vulnerable?

Synonyms. conquerable unsafe defenceless assailable susceptible unguarded under attack unprotected undefendable threatened endangered defenseless indefensible penetrable compromising open under fire insecure dangerous undefended.

Who is most vulnerable to infection?

Who is more at risk of severe illness? What about other risks?

pregnant women;
infants, and young children particularly under age 2;
people of any age with certain chronic health conditions (including asthma or lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease or some neurological conditions);
people with severely compromised immune systems.

What are high risk populations?

High-risk groups. Some population groups are at considerably higher risk of contracting malaria, and developing severe disease, than others. These include pregnant women, infants, children under 5 years of age and patients with HIV/AIDS, as well as non-immune migrants, mobile populations and travellers.

Who is vulnerable to abuse?

An adult at risk of abuse is likely to be receiving support from social care and/or health services and may be living in residential or supported accommodation. The person may have learning or physical disabilities or mental health issues. Or they may be at risk of abuse because of their age, frailty or illness.

What is the difference between at risk and vulnerable populations?

The difference between “vulnerable” and “at-risk” populations comes down to the difference between condition versus status. Vulnerability refers to one's general condition or state, such as age, gender (or incarceration status). “Risk” refers to specific causes to which one is exposed.

What are at risk populations?

We define Populations at Risk broadly, including but not limited to the poor, frail, disabled, economically disadvantaged, homeless, racial and ethnic minorities, persons with low literacy,²⁰ victims of abuse or persecution, and persons with social risk factors such as isolation.

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.

What does it mean to be vulnerable?

Vulnerable. adjective. Exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally. Vulnerability — something many of us avoid due to fear of being judged, hurt or failure. To be vulnerable means to put ourselves in a position that could potentially hurt us.

Why is the homeless a vulnerable population?

The homeless population is a social group that is vulnerable because the homeless are at an increased risk for adverse health-related outcomes. This article discusses the homeless as a vulnerable population by using the health-related problems of vulnerable population's model as a theoretical framework.

How many groups of vulnerability are there?

In order to address the needs of vulnerable children, she argued, people needed to know who the vulnerable were and how many there are. The report identified a total of 32 groups of children that were recognised as vulnerable, which it classified into four broad types of vulnerability containing 22 groups.