There has always been talk of the thousands of Latinos / Hispanics who do not yet have access to health, or living below poverty. However, there is a group of them that suffers from the lack of notoriety: the elderly and the older adults. According to data from the
United States Census Bureau, the population over 65 years old has increased from 35.9 million in 2003 to 46.2 million in 2014. This represents an increase of 29%.The Hispanic elderly population, although still a relatively small group among those over 65 is the group that is growing faster within future retirees. By 2050, Hispanics will account for 20 percent of the aging population, well above the 7.5 percent they represented in 2014.
This will entail multiple problems,
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Documented and undocumented elders are basically in the same boat.
According to statistics from the National Retirement Institute, 43% elders Latinos depend entirely on social security in retirement, and that four out of five Hispanic households have less than $ 10,000 in retirement savings. While undocumented immigrants are categorically ineligible for US benefits, many immigrants who are legally resident do not have enough years of documented work to qualify for eligibility. And this is compounded by the great difficulty of getting a job for the elderly, and those who have a job live with the fear of losing it, since there are a hundred young Latinos in a row who would be willing to do the same work for less salary.
Another disadvantage of Latino elders is the language barrier, and the difficulty of adapting to a new culture compared to younger immigrants. This prevents them
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According to research by the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging, more than half a million Latino elderly suffer from Alzheimer's disease, this research indicates that this disease has been affecting the elders Latino population in the United States at a high rate; even though that the appearance of symptoms is much greater in Latinos than any other ethnic group ,they are the least received the diagnosis due to the lack of medical services, and preventive medicine, and in occasions because of lack of knowledge. For the majority of
Latinos these symptoms, such as the disorientation, and forgetting things are part of the natural process of aging. This same study also reveals that the presence of Alzheimer's in Latino elders will increase by 836% by 2060. For Latino families these challenges add more to the challenges that they already face, because they have fewer resources in terms of income, and retirement benefits. According to study projections, the direct and indirect economic impact of the disease in the Latino community will reach 105.5 million dollars in 2060 and will cost the country 2.35 billion dollars. Latino elders will form
Even though laws like SB 1070 are meant to expand the feeling of safety among citizens, research reflects that they “increase fear among Latino and other minority populations because of racial profiling and harassment from authorities within their communities” (Toomey S28). In a study conducted by ____ from March of 2007 until December of 2011, before and after the passage of SB 1070, the probability of adolescent mothers aged fifteen to eighteen years old utilizing health care is shown in a time versus age interaction. To prove that the decrease in use of public assistance related directly to SB 1070, the researchers found that there was in fact an increase in the use of public assistance amongst adolescent minority mothers from 63.2% to 80%
3. Corona, R., Gonzalez, T., Cohen, et al. “Richmond Latino Needs Assessment: A Community-University Partnership to Identify Health Concerns and Service Needs for Latino Youth”. J Community Health. 34.(2009): 195-201.
A diverse minority group of Latino and Spanish-speaking peoples has played an important part of what it means to be American and what it means to be a citizen in the United States today. Moving into the future, in order to analyze the trajectory that this group is in, we must first understand the group’s history in the United States and in territories that would become the United States. In addition, we must look at the origins of the most recent wave of Latino immigration in order to understand their current effect on American society and the intersection between both minority and majority groups. Finally, we get to the apex of this investigation: what lies in the future for Latino Americans in the United States? Although Latino
Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group, estimated to be 54 million living in the United States of America. (Office of Minority Health and Health Equity). They work very hard to make both ends meet and also to stay in good health. They are relatively as a source of cheap labor in the American labor market This paper will dwell more on the Hispanic current Health status, how health promotion is described by the group and what health disparities exists for this group.
Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group and there are estimated to be about 54 million living in the United States (Office of Minority Health & Health Equity, YEAR). The Hispanics are a minority group that struggle every day to survive, to provide for their families, to stay healthy and to live quality lives. This paper will discuss the Hispanics current health status, how health promotion is defined by the Hispanics and what health disparities exist for the Hispanics. Lastly, this paper will discuss the three levels of health prevention and their effectiveness given the unique
Based on the United States census, it is estimated that by the year 2050 one in three people living in the United Sates will be of Hispanic/Latino origin which include sub groups like Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban, Central Americans, and South Americans (Heart Association, 2014). Within those subgroups, the prevalence varied for people of Mexican descent from as high of 18.3 percent to as low as 10.3 percent for people of South American descent, Dominicans and Puerto Rican descent 18.1 percent, Central American descent and Cubans descent 13.4 percent all living in the United States with diabetes type 2. On another commentary being published in the same issue of Diabetes Care, the author wrote, “the differences in diabetes and obesity prevalence among Latinos subgroups are marked when all individuals are combined into a single group” (Heart Association, 2014). Diabetes in Latino Americans has become more prevalence with aging, by the time they reach the age of 70 years, 44.3 percent of Latino men age 70 years old to 74 years old will have develop diabetes. The same study also indicated that the longer Latino Americans live in the United States the more likely they will develop diabetes, that is according to the education and income level of the person. The study also shows
Over the past decade, the Latino population in the U.S has grown from 35.3 to 50.5 million. Only 37
Cardenas & Kerby (2012) reveal, “Our country is rapidly changing. As we approach the year 2050, our nation will be increasingly more diverse, and Latinos will be one of the forces driving this demographic change. According to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population estimate, there are roughly 50.5 million Hispanics representing about 16 percent of the U.S. population. By 2050, when demographers tell us that there will be no racial or ethnic majority among the general population of the United States, it is projected that the Latino population will double to 30 percent. Consequently, the role of Latinos in shaping our country’s political and economic climate is becoming more significant (Para. 1).This essay will explain some of the social class experiences of Hispanic Americans including economic struggles, education attainment, and healthcare insurance.
Currently within the United States one of the fastest growing minority population (Schwartz & Scott, 2012) is the Latinos. In 2010 Census Bureau Brief ( Ennis, Rois-Vargas, & Albert, 2011) it stated how an estimated 15 million Latino individuals were living within the United States, which is approximately about 16% of the entire U.S. population. There is one big problem with addressing the Latino population, and that is the family patterns are either misrepresented or not properly understood, due to the label of Hispanic and Latinos being placed together. These two groups may share the same spoken language of Spanish and have similar cultural ancestry but the diversity among Hispanic and Latinos (Schwartz & Scott, 2012) make generalizations about their lifestyles difficult. The term Hispanic came to be used in the 1970’s by government officials (cdc.gov, 2011) in trying to provide a diverse label on this population that had connections to speaking Spanish and the Spanish culture. Latino became more of a termed to be used when distinguishing between Mexican (Hispanics) and Latinos who descendants from Latin America such as Cuba and Puerto Rico.
By 2011, nearly one person out of every six living in the United States will be of Hispanic/Latino origin (Selig Center Multicultural Economy Report, 2006).
When looking at the Hispanic/Latino ethnic groups some may think they are all from the same country because of their culture, and the fact that many speak Spanish. However, this is not the case, and when looking at the unique features associated with each ethnic group, it is easy to see the differences between them. All of the Latino/Hispanic ethnic groups have differences and this can even be heard in the dialect used to speak Spanish, such as the case when listening to Puerto Ricans and Mexicans speaking Spanish. In an effort to have a better understanding of elder Mexicans, this paper will look at the Mexican sub-culture, and the features associated with the family dynamics, gender roles, acculturation patters, as well as religious contemporary issues such as taking care of an elder family member. We will examine ways to engage, assess, discuss ways of intervention, and review ways to ensure that effective evaluations are completed.
There are many health disparities that exist among the Hispanic population. Many of these are chronic conditions that affect the population. Obesity is one of the many examples of conditions that have increased for the Hispanic population. The CDC (2014) states, “The prevalence of obesity among female Mexican American adults during 2007–2010 was larger than the prevalence among female white, non-Hispanic adults during the same years” (p. 1). This is one of the many statistics that show an example of a health disparity in the Hispanic population. Another example of a problem that is prevalent in the Hispanic community is the health promotion and screening rates. The CDC (2014) states, “A smaller percentage of Hispanic adults aged 50-75 years reported being up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening in 2010 than their non-Hispanic adult counterparts”
Latinos and Hispanics have a long history here in the United States of America. The term “Hispanic” is most often used by the government, which is what will be used through the rest of this document. Hispanics are the fastest growing group in the United States and their numbers will continue to increase as years go by. Mexicans are the largest subgroup of Hispanics making up 66% of the population while the other 34% includes Central and South Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and other Hispanic origins. California, Texas, and Florida have the highest populations of Hispanics. In regards to health insurance, Hispanics have the highest rates of uninsured in the United States.
Different sub-groups among the Latino Community possesses varying rates of psychological disorders. A recent study, conducted by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, surveyed those of the Latino and Hispanic Communities in the United States. This study revealed, that generally, 27% of Latinos reported having higher levels of depression. Among the various Latino groups, those having a lower score of 22.3% were those of the Mexican descent and those having a
The increased life expectancy has created a larger population of the elderly, which is a significant demographic change that the U.S. has begun to experience. It is projected that the increase in the life expectancy will continue to impact the amplified growth of the elderly population in the future. The increased elderly population, has created a need for the U.S. to implement policies that support and meet the developing number of diverse needs the elderly population will require in order to age well. The life expectancy has increased considerably from 68.2 years in 1950 to 78.7 years in 2011 (Chapin, 2014, p. 481). According to the U.S. Census Bureau, currently there are approximately 43.14 million Americans aged 65 or older in the U.S. (Chapin, 2014, p. 481). In the future, the elderly American population of individuals aged 65 or older is projected to reach 72.1 million by 2030 (Chapin, 2014, p. 481) hence, policies and programs must promote economic security, adequate health care, and social engagement for the increasing population of the elderly in the U.S. to support the elderly in aging well. “If policies permit the hiring of part-time workers, and age discrimination is not allowed, older adults can take part in meaningful, productive activities far into advanced age” (Chapin, 2014, p. 473) allowing the elderly to age well and find personal fulfillment.