Exploring the push for self-advocacy for older adults
What happens when every health concern raised by an older adult to their providers is dismissed as a product of aging, rather than a potential chronic health concern long overlooked?
According to Robert Espinoza, a former vice president at PHI, older adults will simply stop speaking up.
“There’s a sense sometimes because of how society treats older people, that their voices don’t matter,” Espinoza said in a recent video published by United Healthcare’s National Advisory Board. “Or they may have become used to this reality that too often older people are dismissed as not having opinions that are worth hearing.”
Espinoza spoke as part of a small panel discussion, hosted by Martha Roherty, executive director of ADvancing States. The focus of the video was promoting self-advocacy for older adults in healthcare.
This discussion on self-advocacy was the third in a video series released earlier this year. This final installment was published days before the publication of the updates to the Older Americans Act (OAA) by the Administration of Community Living. The revised law focuses on clarifying how older adults and those with disabilities should be supported by agencies administering OAA funding, with a specific focus on serving those in greatest social and economic need.
As with any patients, older adults can be their own best advocates in healthcare. The panelists discussed the benefits of access to internet, and even television ads, to help older adults understand what’s available to them. There are also tools and resources to support family caregivers and even providers to help break down some high barriers for older adults in getting the care and support services they need and deserve. According to Karyne Jones, the barriers may vary community to community, as she’s seen in the populations she supports through her work as the president and CEO of the National Caucus and Center of Black Aging.
“[Many] have a long history of not being treated well in the healthcare system,” she said.
The three advocacy group leaders spoke at length about their work in promoting policies that support self-advocacy. As an example, pushing aging agencies to meet older adults where they are – perhaps in their homes – to offer a space where older adults may be more comfortable asking questions.
Ultimately, it’s our responsibility to support older adults so they can live and thrive independently, according to the panel.
“I think too often we think of older adults as people who need services,” Espinoza said. “We don’t necessarily see them as agents of change and people who are major assets to our entire community.”
At FEI Systems, we applaud efforts to promote self-advocacy among older adults. Many of our client partners provide long-term services and supports to aging Americans, especially those seeking to live in their homes and communities. We equip our client partners with the tools they need to facilitate barrier-free delivery of health and human services, so program participants can get the care and supports they need and deserve.
