Argument Research Essay Full Draft • Online Nursing Essays

Instructions

This assignment is a full draft of your Argument Research Essay. This draft will demonstrate the argument and writing techniques studied in the course and will build upon the steps you have taken in all the previous weeks toward developing your Argument Research Essay. This draft is expected to meet all of the Argument Research Essay requirements for writing, content, length, and sources. 

Writing Requirements for the Argument Research Essay Full Draft due this week and for the Argument Research Essay, due in Week 8: 

• Correct use of APA guidelines for the following:
  • Headers with pagination 
  • Title Page 
  • Margins, spacing, and paragraph indentation 
  • APA in-text citation and referencing for all sources 
• Do not divide your essay into sections. 
• 4–5 full pages for the essay itself, not including title page or references 
• Effective structure, including your introduction paragraph, your body paragraphs, and your conclusion paragraph 
• Use of third-person throughout. Focus on the topic, not on you nor on the essay. In other words: no first-person “I,” and no referring to the essay, such as “In this essay.” 
• At least 4 scholarly sources visibly used, cited, and referenced 
• Refer to the full Argument Research Essay Rubric 

Length

Four to five fully developed pages PLUS title page and reference page

     Elderly Care Facilities

The poignant and inevitable reality of placing a beloved parent in an elder care facility looms before many of us, while others fortunate enough to care for their parents at home still encounter formidable challenges. The intricacies and difficulties of elder care are far from novel; they trace back to the 1950s when laws were enacted to restrict funding for such vital services in the United States. What is even more disconcerting is that this predicament has been escalating exponentially in recent times with no sign of abatement. A glaring example of this escalating crisis can be seen in the steep 3% increase in the cost of private elder care facilities from 2017 to 2018 alone. This disconcerting trend puts at risk the dignity and comfort that those who nurtured and cared for us throughout our lives should rightfully enjoy. The prevailing long-standing attitudes regarding the perceived value of elder care and the rapid escalation of costs underscore the urgent necessity for a well-defined, multi-faceted, and financially supported government action plan to address the pressing challenges in elder care. We must forge ahead with a collective determination to ensure that our aging parents, and indeed an entire generation, receive the compassionate care they deserve and experience their golden years with dignity and comfort.

The government’s imperative to develop a comprehensive plan for rising elder care costs and increased assistance through financial resources stems from the overwhelming number of individuals in need of care who cannot afford it, and the projected surge in both patients and expenses in the near future. Advancements in treatment and preventative care have led to a significant increase in the elderly population requiring care, leading Zhang et al. (2022) to warn of a looming crisis, stretching healthcare services to their limits. Currently, around 9% of the global population is aged 65 or older, a figure projected to reach 17% by 2050 and a staggering 25% by 2056 (p. 12). Moreover, health care costs are now doubling between ages 45 and 65 and again between 65 and 82 (p. 2), signifying a substantial rise in the cost of aging and placing a monumental burden on families. With over 55 million individuals in the U.S. aged 65 and above, and the projected number expected to double, the urgency is evident. Tens of millions of families will grapple with the challenges of caring for their aging parents, and many will endure financial ruin and receive sub-standard, sometimes inhumane care. Addressing this pressing issue promptly and effectively is crucial to ensure the well-being and dignity of our aging population and to create a compassionate and sustainable elder care system.

The prevailing misconceptions about elder care costs and the capabilities of most families contribute to a dangerous culture of denial and apathy surrounding this pressing issue. In particular, families in high-income brackets with comprehensive insurance policies may never have encountered the need to bear the out-of-pocket expenses for their parents’ care. As a consequence, many elderly patients reside in seemingly luxurious residential care homes or remain in the comfort of their own homes, benefiting from round-the-clock private nurses, a level of care that may be beyond the reach of the average American. Such circumstances can lead government decision-makers to be caught off guard by the actual population and cost numbers, potentially hindering their full grasp of the true human toll of the elder care crisis. While some families manage to cover the costs of elder care by resorting to second mortgages, those with lower incomes often find themselves burdened with bills that far exceed their lifetime earnings. Additionally, lower-income families frequently resort to providing in-home care for their aging parents, sometimes accommodating them within their own homes. However, this caregiving responsibility comes with significant challenges, including physical injuries associated with assisting their loved ones (Shirai et al., 2021, p. 227) and a notable rise in mental health issues, all culminating in a detrimental impact on the caregivers’ overall quality of life (Xiao et al., 2022, p. 9). Consequently, the burden of caring for aging parents at home disproportionately falls on traditionally lower-income groups, exacerbating the inequalities in access to quality care and basic human happiness for the most marginalized segments of the U.S. population.

The current state of elder care exposes significant disparities in the quality of care and well-being among elderly individuals, largely influenced by socioeconomic factors. While affluent families have access to top-notch care services, lower-income families grapple with financial burdens, leading to unequal treatment and support for the elderly. This stark contrast underscores the pressing need for a more inclusive and compassionate approach to elder care. Policymakers and high-level decision-makers must confront these realities and take proactive measures to develop comprehensive solutions that address the inequities present in the system. Acknowledging the biases and shortcomings in elder care is crucial to establishing a just and supportive framework that upholds the dignity, well-being, and basic human happiness of all elderly individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

The disparities in elder care not only affect the elderly but also impact their families and caregivers. Lower-income families, who are more likely to provide in-home care, bear the brunt of physical, emotional, and financial stress. This disproportionate burden contributes to reduced quality of life for caregivers and a lack of access to essential resources for the elderly, exacerbating the overall crisis in elder care. A more compassionate and equitable approach to elder care would alleviate these hardships and ensure that every elderly individual receives the support and care they deserve, regardless of their economic circumstances. It is crucial for society to recognize the importance of addressing these challenges head-on, working collaboratively to develop a system that promotes the well-being and happiness of our elderly population and honors the contributions they have made to our communities throughout their lives.

             To combat the inaction resulting from such reality gaps regarding elder care in the U.S., and to compel much more government action, a closer and more profound look at problematic elder care is necessary. For example, millions of older adults experience some form of memory loss or dementia, and unless a well of funds is available, these illnesses are devastating not only in the emotional pain they cause in all families, regardless of income; they are especially overwhelming for those who could benefit from more government help. As McGhan et al. (2022) note, in-home family dementia care creates a decline in family caregivers’ “physical and cognitive functioning and quality of life” (p. 27). For families already struggling to eat and pay bills, such added struggles are absolutely debilitating and are often impossible to carry. When families are unable to care for parents, or when an older person has no family and no money for expensive elder care, another group in crisis, the elderly homeless population, emerges and grows. This common occurrence is frequently a death sentence because elder care, as expressed by Humphries and Canhamb (2022), “is often inadequate or unavailable to those without a fixed address,” which usually means an unnecessary rapid decline due to otherwise treatable conditions or to new conditions caused by homelessness, like pneumonia (p. 158). What’s more, while some older adults, the “chronically and episodically homeless,” have been homeless for years and are eligible for care programs, the newly homeless who need elder care “are often excluded from such programs” (p. 170). The fact is that these individuals who suffer and die on the street or who unwillingly cause emotional or financial ruin for their families exist in significant numbers. Being much more vocal and specific about this elderly population is a good first step toward true awareness and real action.

Ultimately, it is easy to overlook the problems with elder care in our country because we often live many decades before the issue touches our lives. As a result, elder care does not receive the attention it so desperately needs. However, by publicizing the increasing challenges and dangers of being old in the U.S., a growing group of young and middle-aged people can help influence more effective and widespread government action. Rallying with passion and dedication now could mean that millions of our parents, and many of us, will not suffer the way our elders traditionally have and still are in modern America.

References

Humphries, J., & Canhamb, S. L. (2021). Conceptualizing the shelter and housing needs and solutions of homeless older adults. Housing Studies, 36(2), 157-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2019.168785

McGhan, G., McCaughey, D., Flemons, K., Shapkin, K., Parmar, J., Anderson, S., & Poole, L. (2022). Tailored, community-based programs for people living with dementia and their family caregiver. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48(4), 26-32. http://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20220401-06

Shirai, Y., Silverberg Koerner, S., & Xu, S. (2021). Family caregiver experience of resistance to care: Occurrence patterns, context, and impact on caregiver. Qualitative Health Research, 31(14), p. 2653-2665. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323211042604

Xiao, L., Yu, Y., Ratclife, J., Milte, R., Meyer, C., Chapman, M., Chen, L., Ullah, S., Kitson, A., Queiroz De Andrade, A., Beattie, E., Brodaty, H., McKechnie, S., Low, L., Nguyen, T. A., Whitehead, C., Brijnath, B., Sinclair, R., & Voss, D. (2022). Creating ‘partnership in iSupport program’ to optimise family carers’ impact on dementia care: A randomised controlled trial protocol. BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-08148-2

Zhang, Q., Varnfield, M., Higgins, L., Smallbon, V., & Bomke, J. (2022). The smarter safer homes solution to support older people living in their own homes through enhanced care models: Protocol for a stratified randomized controlled trial. JMIR Research Toronto, 11(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.2196/31970