Health Ageing

Healthy ageing is the process of supporting the needs of older people thereby maintaining their activities of daily living to promote their holistic wellbeing (O'Loughlin et al. 2017). In Australia, there is an ever-increasing population of older people who face social, economic and healthcare challenges which impact their physical and psychological wellbeing. In this context, healthy ageing is fundamental to provide older people with the resources, care and support that they need to live a healthy and happy life. This essay will critically analyse the key principle of healthy ageing by demonstrating the contribution of the key principle in promoting wellbeing in older people in Australia. Then this essay will discuss the Aged Care quality standards 1 and 2 and how these standards can promote healthy ageing in order people. Then this essay will discuss the roles of a registered nurse in incorporating the ACQS 1 and 2 into practices to implement the key principle of healthy ageing into the care process.

For promoting healthy ageing different key principles had been recorded by Royal Commission Australia under the Aged Care Act (2021). The chosen principle “older people should be supported to exercise choice about their own lives ……. Delivery of their care” is important to be implemented into the aged care services to improve the quality of living and wellbeing of older people in Australia (Piggott, 2020). This principle upholds the autonomy and rights of older people in Australia in making informed decisions for care, in which they can choose their care services based on their preferences. As mentioned by Ofori-Asenso et al. (2018) in case of prompting healthy ageing, service providers must uphold the autonomy of older people regarding their preference, choice for treatment, confidentiality, informed decision and fair treatment. The key principle under the Aged Care Act upholds the right of older people in Australia to get equitable access to care services and exercise the choices between available care services. As mentioned by Yiengprugsawan et al. (2018), older people must have the right to express their choices for receiving available services, in which the preference and decision of the older person will be the final decision regarding which services is going to provide to him or her. This chosen key principle is proved to be highly effective in promoting and implementing the rights of older people to freedom from any kind of abuse or inhuman treatment in care settings, freedom from restraints and the right to liberty.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in Australia provides high-quality aged care services to older people by complying with all the quality standards. Standard 1 is “consumer dignity and choice”, which uphold the right of older people to make their preferences regarding the care they receive (Harris & Sharma, 2018). Under this standard, older people have the right to be treated with proper respect and dignity, in which their rights to confidentiality, preferences regarding care services and opinions regarding their treatment are respected by care providers. Standard 1 supports the above-mentioned key principle of the Aged Care Act By stating that, while providing aged care services, care providers must put the choices, needs and opinions of the older people at the centre of the care framework (Khadka et al. 2019). Under standard 1, the needs of each older person will be assessed and met by protecting consumer dignity and respect. This standard enables odder people to get the best support to take risks in terms of living a healthy happy life. Under this standard 1, services providers must ensure the older people are provided with accurate, current and timely information regarding their health and wellbeing (Ribeiro, et al. 2017). Additionally, care providers must maintain clear and concise communication with older people, thereby enabling them to understand as well as exercise their choices for treatment.

Standard 2 of ACQS is “ongoing assessment and planning with consumers”. This standard highlights the right of older people to be involved in their care plan and work in partnership with care providers (Radermacher & Feldman, 2017). This ACQS contribute to implementing the abietite key principles into practices in which an unplanned care framework is developed that would involve older people in every stage of the care delivery to get a clear understanding of what the older needs from the care providers and how these needs can be met. As mentioned by Cherbuin et al. (2021), through conducting an effective assessment, services providers can understand the requirement of each older people which enables service providers to consider these requirements while developing the relevant care plan. This standard 2, enables service providers to monitor the way they apply the requirements of older people to practices and assess the overall outcomes of the care process.

As a registered nurse I will implement both the standard 1 ad 2 during providing aged care services in a community setting. Under standard 1 I will ensure that, each service user (older people will be treated with dignity and respect in which their diversity, culture and identity will be valued (Alidoust, Bosman, & Holden, 2019). Throughout the care services to older people, I will make sure that each service user will receive equitable and fair treatment without any risk of abuse, discrimination and harassment. As mentioned by Robertson & Nicholas (2021), the effectiveness of an aged care service is dependent on how effectively care providers can provide non-discriminatory and fair treatment to service users I which all their need is supported and met. Under standard 1, I will provide the best in terms of understanding, assessing and meet their needs accordingly.

From the above-mentioned discussion, it can be concluded that healthy ageing is the process of providing the right care and support to older people for promoting their health and wellbeing. By implementing the principles recommended by the Royal Commission, care providers in Australia can provide high-quality care to older people through implementing the ACQS into practice, effective aged care services can be delivered to older people which will promote their holistic wellbeing.

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