The Issue Statement
According to Beech et al. (2021), poverty remains an entrenched social issue that severely limits individuals’ access to necessities like food, shelter, and healthcare. However, for older persons with disabilities a vulnerable population that faces additional difficulties, including limited access to specialized services, healthcare inequities, and social isolation—this issue is more severe. A vicious cycle of poverty sometimes ensnares them; the intricate intersectionality between age and handicap deepens their vulnerability. To improve the welfare of this marginalized group, this essay will examine the current state of this serious social issue, evaluate current policies, and push for necessary reforms. It attempts to spark meaningful conversations and actions among policymakers, social workers, and the public.
Importance of Advocacy for Change
Long-term advantages accrue from addressing the moral necessity and social duty of addressing poverty among older individuals with impairments (Xie & Yuan, (2022). Ignoring this problem makes housing, healthcare, and social services more socially and monetarily expensive. Policymakers have the authority to implement measures to help this underprivileged population break free from the cycle of poverty. Increased social cohesiveness and decreased financial disparity also benefit the public, supporting the idea that lobbying is advantageous and necessary for society. Advocacy is especially crucial since social workers are sometimes the first to react to social crises. They have intimate knowledge of the difficulties experienced by elderly disabled people who are impoverished. In addition to providing emergency assistance, their function is critical in gathering the essential information and case studies that might help improve policymaking. Social workers may contribute to creating a more compassionate, efficient, and inclusive social safety net by speaking up for change, eventually improving this vulnerable population’s lives.
Advantages of Resolving the Issue
Communities would gain if initiatives to reduce poverty among older persons with disabilities were effective. Improving the well-being of this population would result in less stress on the healthcare system, more efficient use of existing community resources, and an overall increase in societal well-being (Svold et al., 2021). By resolving this problem, you can create a more inclusive society in which everyone, regardless of age or disability, has the opportunity to live a whole life. By addressing this issue, older people with disabilities may become more active in the community, improving their mental health and social inclusion. In addition to increasing their quality of life, this would help the community. Reduced ER visits and hospital admissions may help communities by freeing up monies that might be utilized to address other pressing socioeconomic needs. Eliminating poverty among older people with disabilities is critical to creating more equitable and resilient communities.
Policy Review
The Older Americans Act (OAA), adopted in 1965 and reauthorized multiple times since then, is the policy under consideration (Leopold et al., 2022). The primary goal of the Older Americans Act (OAA) is to offer essential services to older Americans, such as food, employment assistance, and caregiver support. The program attempts to assist older people in numerous ways. However, it does not target poor older individuals with disabilities, so it ignores a substantial demographic. Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and other care providers often administer the federal Older Americans Act, although it is a state act. Accordingly, local bodies carry out the general framework, while the federal government sets the overall guidelines. This might result in differences in the caliber and kind of services provided across different jurisdictions. Even while the OAA offers a wide range of crucial services, it falls short in addressing the complex issues that older individuals with disabilities who are impoverished encounter. The legislation does not adequately address the specific requirements of this group by providing services, including accessible housing, assistive technology, and specialized healthcare. Gaps still need immediate legislative action, and the absence of tailored services feeds the cycle of poverty among older persons with disabilities.
Multiple Titles that address various facets of elder care comprise the framework of the Older Americans Act. While Title II creates the Administration on Aging to supervise the act’s execution, Title I sets out the goals and definitions (Mathijssen et al., 2020). The central part of the legislation is Title III, which offers funding for community and state programs on aging. Other Titles include Native American programs, nutrition assistance, and community service work for senior citizens. A critical mistake that requires urgent modification is the lack of a part specifically devoted to older persons with disabilities living in poverty, even though every component seeks to improve the quality of life for older people.
Since its inception in 1965, the Older Americans Act (OAA) has had many reauthorizations, the most recent of which occurred in 2020 (Applebaum & Koumoutzis, 2022). The policy still lacks concrete measures to effectively help older persons with disabilities living in poverty, even after being in place for a long time and undergoing several changes. In general, all parties support the Older Americans Act, especially those legislators who understand how important it is to provide for the older population. Numerous senior advocacy organizations, including AARP, support the program as well. Critics counter that the legislation concentrates too little attention on vulnerable groups, such as elderly persons with impairments who are impoverished and suffer from inadequate funding. The OAA has undergone several revisions to update its language and broaden its use. Updates have been made to incorporate topics like nutritional programs and prevention of elder abuse. Still, not much has been done specifically to address the needs of older individuals with disabilities who live in poverty.
The Older Americans Act does provide some aid in a clinical environment via food services, caregiver support, and overall wellness initiatives (Kunkel,2019). These programs, however, often fall short of the specific requirements of low-income older persons with disabilities, such as assistive technology and specialized healthcare. Due to this negligence, clinical social workers bear extra obligations, navigating a system devoid of resources specifically designed to assist their clients. Clinical social workers have a professional and ethical duty to advocate for policy change because of the inadequacies in the OAA’s provisions for older individuals with disabilities who are destitute. The result of such lobbying might be a more efficient and compassionate healthcare system by paving the way for more specialized and comprehensive treatments that meet this demographic’s distinct requirements. Clinical social workers have the chance to promote significant, systemic change that improves the well-being of one of society’s most vulnerable populations by advocating for these adjustments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, politicians, social workers, and the public must give the ongoing problem of poverty affecting older individuals with disabilities their urgent attention. This article has highlighted the shortcomings in current legislation, such as the Older Americans Act. It has emphasized the need for focused activism to address this underserved group. The problem’s importance goes beyond moral obligations; it affects societal cohesiveness and economic efficiency. For these and other practical reasons, it is imperative that we work together to improve the lives of some of society’s most marginalized populations.
References
Applebaum, R., & Koumoutzis, A. (2022). At Almost 60, It’s Time for a Life Review of the Older Americans Act as it Approaches Eligibility Age. Generations, 45(4), 1-9.
Beech, B. M., Ford, C., Thorpe Jr., R. J., Bruce, M. A., & Norris, K. C. (2021). Poverty, racism, and the public health crisis in America. Frontiers in public health, 9, 699049.
Kunkel, S. R. (2019). Building on the past, securing the future: Area Agencies on Aging and Older Americans Act reauthorization. Public Policy & Aging Report, 29(2), 52-55.
Leopold, A., Gimm, G., & Lee, W. (2022). Leveraging the Contribution of Volunteers: The Critical Role and Economic Value of Volunteers in Older Americans Act Programs. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 1-17.
Mathijssen, M., Overeem, M., & Jansen, S. (2020). Identification of practices and capabilities in API management: a systematic literature review. arXiv preprint arXiv:2006.10481.
Søvold, L. E., Naslund, J. A., Kousoulis, A. A., Saxena, S., Qoronfleh, M. W., Grobler, C., & Münter, L. (2021). Prioritizing the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers: an urgent global public health priority. Frontiers in public health, 9, 679397.
Xie, Q., & Yuan, X. (2022). Functioning and environment: Exploring outdoor activity-friendly environments for older adults with disabilities in a Chinese long-term care facility. Building Research & Information, 50(1-2), 43-59.
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