Shubham Shah

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PDHPE Assessment Task Preparation Shubham Shah

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Australias population is on the rise and it is ageing. The population increases by approx 1.3% each year. 9% of Australias population is over 70. This will be 13% by 2021 and 20% in 2061. List three

reasons for this trend. (3 marks)

The percentage of aged people over 70 years is set to double to 20% over the next forty years. Three reasons for the trend of the increase in growing and ageing populations over 70 in Australia include the advancements in medical technology such as portable blood pressure checking systems; the increased life expectancy in Australia is also linked to the increased availability and range of health services promoting a healthy lifestyle such as specialist centres which treat specific diseases which G.Ps cant are becoming more readily available. Adding onto this, medical services are becoming more popular and new support systems are being placed such as Helicopter Assistance in rural areas to cover more parts of Australia. Lastly, vaccinations for the major causes of mortality and morbidity have been developed and have been distributed with government rebates so they are easily accessible. An example of this includes the HPV vaccination. All of these reasons have ultimately led to the trend of an increasing ageing population over 70.

Explain the benefits of health ageing for the individual and the community.

5 marks

Name and define Healthy Ageing is the ongoing activities and behaviours that people undertake as they age to reduce the risk of illness and disease and increase their physical, emotional and mental health.

Describe

Explain

It involves making a basic lifestyle The benefits for the ind include: realignment that can result in a More time outside of medical clinics faster, more enduring recovery from Fit to do daily activities illness and disease and an increase Ability to maintain social lifestyles in the quality of life. Some lifestyle Lower amounts of medications and hence behaviours which contribute to costs on the individual healthy ageing include healthy diets, Lower chance of D.A.D and hence medical consistent exercising and regular costs check-ups with G.Ps. Increased productivity Increased self-esteem and emotional + spiritual health The benefits for the community include Increased workforce with healthy old, productive people Lower health burden Decreased pressure on health services, the health workforce and clinics Increased economy and cash flow contributions from ageing population More carers and volunteers to aid D.A.D ageing population More educated people in a community.

Shubham Shah

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There are a number of challenges associated with a growing and ageing population. These include Increased population living with chronic disease and disability Demand for health services and workforce shortages Availability of careers and volunteers Evaluate strategies to help manage some these challenges (12 marks)

Name and define

Describe- what the challenge is ( provide link to growing and ageing pop) Challenge 1 In 2005 it was increased people estimated that 77% living with if people were living disease with a chronic As the Australian disease, of these population 95% were over 45. becomes older, As the population is an increased ageing, this will number of people increase the burden will be living with on the health chronic disease system. As age is a or disability significant factor (D.A.D) for C.V.D, cancer, diabetes and arthritis, this will result in a gap between the services required and ageing populations.

Explain strategy / s to overcome challenge ads+ Disads

Evaluate effectiveness of strategies

One strategy to decrease the numbers of elderly people living with D.A.D is to provide free ongoing, screening services for the major causes of illness. To ensure people accessed this service, all screening services would take place in one visit. Reminders would be sent out in the form of emails, letters, SMS and personally through the phone. Transport will be provided for those which require it. Incentives could be offered in the form of tax deductions or bonus payment for those who attend appointment. Positives: More testing leads to earlier diagnosis and earlier treatment Decrease in D.A.D for the ageing population Increase in healthy ageing Cost saved in long run (lower need of treatment) Increase in the quality of life Negatives: Difficult to operate in rural areas High upfront cost without any immediate results/reward Increase demand on G.P services Difficult to manage and organise Demand on individuals

This strategy if implemented correctly would be extremely successful in decreasing the number of people living with D.A.D however it is unlikely it will ever be implemented fully due to the upfront cost experienced by the government and the long delay before achieving results.

Shubham Shah

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Challenge 2
demand for health services and workforce shortages

As Australias aged population increases, the demand for health services and workers increases since aged most use health services.

As the population increases, an increase in D.A.D is also present and therefore a greater demand in the health services is required. These health services include: nurses, doctors, technology, ambulances, housing and hospitals. Currently, there is already a major shortage in rural areas for health services which the workforce has not been able to meet up to.

Challenge 3 Availability of careers and volunteers

Carers and volunteers provide informal and formal care of people living with chronic diseases and disability. They could be a spouse, child, neighbour or friend.

Australians over 55 contribute approx. 75 billion per annum in unpaid volunteering. The paid and unpaid work is absolutely essential in a wellfunctioning and caring society which enables quality of lifestyle for all Australians. It is however likely that there will be a shortage of carers and volunteers in the near future. Due to the increasing ageing population with D.A.D the

A possible strategy to increase health services and decrease workforce shortages could be government tax rebates on the development of health infrastructure (such as the building of housing, hospitals, and medical equipment) and education related to the health services workforce (such as free nursing TAFE courses). These tax rebates can reimburse more than 80% of costs while promising for a secured job in the future in a set location where health services are readily required. This campaign will overall attract the private sector to build infrastructure due to possible profits and will attract health services workers due to job stability. Advantages: Increase in health services Decrease in work force shortages Building of new infrastructure, likely to have newer technologies Relieve pressure on overworked staff Ability to cater for more people, increased life expectancy of patients due to more care Disadvantages: Potentially will cost too much, without immediate reward Budget strains Pressure on teaching industries Need of more area and land to build infrastructures As the role of a carer or volunteer is not very well known to Australians, Ad campaigns should be utilised by the government. This will inform the general public about the urgent need for these volunteers and carers. Adding on, with the advertising campaigns, incentives and further rebates should be a part of being a carer or volunteer. Government budgets can be provided to volunteer organisations and incentives such as money bonuses or tax cuts can be offered to carers. Positives: Increase in carers and volunteers Steady workforce & availability Increased life expectancy Growing economy and productivity in communities Decrease of D.A.D for the elderly and aged Keeps people in own house longer Negatives: Financial debts and problems for carers

This strategy has a great potential in overall decreasing the high demands on health services and workforce shortages by creating infrastructure and increasing staff while ultimately reducing the amount of aged populations with D.A.D, however the cost would be too high for the short term and would likely not be sustainable.

This strategy has the potential to work as initially costs may be slightly high but impacts will be seen quickly and effectively costs for health services will decrease (such as surgery, emergency treatments and treatments) while ageing population with D.A.D will decrease as more carers and volunteers are

Shubham Shah amount of carers and volunteers are steadily decreasing. Adding on, ageing population required to care for grandchildren, no time for volunteering (65-75)

http://youtube.com/HSCBiologyExposed (full time carers cannot work) Emotional, mental and physical effect on carers lives Large scale project requiring lots of processing power Requires large amounts of money and initial investments for a slow return Political influences such as elections

increased.