For this assignment, imagine you are an older adult, or a family member of an older adult, who is in need of one of the following:
Substance abuse treatment * caregiver support * education or support for end of life and coping with mortality * services to support successful aging * seeking opportunities for meaning and engagement * needing support to address coping with loss, loneliness and isolation, stress, depression, anxiety * seeking programs to address ageism and discrimination against older adults * outpatient mental health and wellness services * inpatient psychiatric services.
You will first need to research and explore what the current support is in your community regarding your chosen need. You can use the area of Baltimore / Catonsville or research services in the town or city you are from. This research on current services can be done using the internet and reaching out to professionals in the community, as these are avenues that an individual would likely turn to when in need of assistance or services. Identify 2 potential services that could meet your needs.
You are encouraged to “walk in the shoes” of an older adult or family member who is in need of the service you are searching for. As you are researching available assistance in your chosen area, think about whether the information was easy to find? Is the service easily accessible (physically and financially) for an older adult? Is the support or service available adequate to meet your needs? What are barriers to this service and ultimately what are ways it can be improved?
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Assignment components:
This paper should be written in the first person. It should be in paragraph form with appropriate grammar and punctuation. This assignment should include a description of your search experience. Please include the following:
● Identify who you are (an older adult or family member) and what service you are looking for.
● What tools did you utilize to research available resources (ie: specific websites, companies or groups / individuals spoken to).
Was the search for information easy to find or was it challenging?
● Identify 2 services that you found? Describe details of the service related to your needs and compare between the two.
● Additional things to include in your analysis:
○ What is the demographic of those served?
○ Is the service accessible for older adults and how do adults participate?
○ Is there a fee? If so, how is it paid for? Does Medicare cover the service?
○ Do you feel the level of service is appropriate to meet the needs of an older adult specifically? In other words, how
does is this service catered to the unique needs of older adults as opposed to other ages. Why or why not? Think about what is needed to accommodate an older adult and also what is needed to make them feel that they fit in and feel comfortable.
○ In relation to the services identified, what surprised you the most?
○ In what ways does this service support and not support your need?
This assignment should be between 3-4 pages, Times New Roman Font, double spaced, 1” margins.
A good starting point may include the Area Agency on Aging. You can search these agencies by state or zipcode.
link: https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/About/Aging_Network/AAA.aspx.
This assignment will build on and ultimately be the foundation of your persuasive letter.
For this assignment use the location Upper Marlboro, Maryland with the zipcode 20774.
