As people age, their response to medication, treatment, food, and general external forces also changes.
It is the slow, altered, or no response to medication and therapy that usually subjects the seniors to conditions that later transform into chronic issues after some time.
Addressing chronic issues amongst the seniors in Ocean County, NJ often entails the coordination of healthcare services, community resources, and self-management strategies.
This article explores these aspects, and I hope that you will better understand how the system works.
Healthcare Providers and Services
Chronic Medical Conditions Require Proper Care
In addition to self-management practices, healthcare providers and services come in very handy in addressing the challenges. Primary physicians help a lot when it comes to the management of chronic issues related to seniors. These have a deeper understanding of their patient’s health history, which is critical to addressing the issues more effectively. Specialists, such as endocrinologists, cardiologists, and geriatricians, dedicate an in-depth focus to various specific chronic issues. We cannot fail to recognize the critical impact of home care aides or nurses who monitor vital signs, give medication, and help with daily tasks.
Local Resources and Support
The Ocean County, through the county Office of Senior Services, assists senior residents with information and assistance on programs like Medicare, prescription drug coverage, and senior care services. The office runs various wellness programs and exercises that include exercise classes, chronic disease self-management awareness workshops, and nutritional advice. On the sidelines of the county government support are caregiver support groups, such as those hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association. Local resources provide a one-stop shop for all the information the seniors and their loved ones may require in the management of their chronic and other health issues.
Chronic Disease Self-Management Programs, CDSMP
Both the county government and individual groups in Ocean County have various programs aimed at creating awareness amongst the senior population. The NJ Department of Health, in conjunction with the private sector in Ocean County, sponsors programs to educate seniors on how to manage chronic issues, improve medication adherence, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Medication and Monitoring
Local pharmacies play an integral role in the management of chronic challenges related to the senior population by filling their prescriptions. In cases where the prescribed drug is not available or too expensive, they can alter the medication to better suit the unique health needs of the seniors. Healthcare aides complete the medication cycle by observing and administering the prescribed medication to address such challenges. In situations where seniors are faced with mobility challenges, remote monitoring services enable them to track their vitals for conditions like diabetes and hypertension and send the results for diagnosis and treatment by primary physicians.
Nutrition and Diet Management
Chronic issues such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and heart complications demand that seniors take special meals that support better management by reducing adverse effects. This is where nutritionists and dieticians come in by offering nutritional counseling to healthcare aides. This enables them to come up with plans that suit the nutritional needs of the seniors.
Transportation and Mobility
After chronic conditions like arthritis and frailty render seniors immobile, they may undergo some form of depression from the inability to depend on their own for daily lives. Thanks to assistive devices like canes, wheelchairs, and walkers provided by the Ocean County Department of Health, local pharmacies, and support groups, seniors can go about their normal lives with ease. For those who need transport to medical appointments, programs like Ocean Ride offer assistance for seniors who cannot drive or commute. Alternatively, Telehealth Services helps critically ill seniors to connect with specialists and primary physicians remotely ensuring immobility does not deny them healthcare services.
Home Improvements
As a way of showing our love and support for these older loved ones, Ocean County residents should carry out a Home Safety Assessment to identify potential hazards and make necessary adjustments that support the mobility and well-being of this group.
Hospice/Palliative Care
For older adults, palliative care/hospice services can assist with the management of pain, improvement of quality of living, and offering assistance to both patients and their families.
By adopting a healthy lifestyle coupled with bits of exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet, staying up to date on vaccinations, and having regular checkups, older Ocean County individuals can improve their quality of life and effectively manage their chronic conditions. However, this can only happen through the collective mobilization of all players, including families, healthcare aides, local pharmacies, specialists, volunteer groups, primary physicians, and the general Ocean County public.
