Availability of Services
Community Assessment
Due to their age and health problems, older adults often require special services and a convenient infrastructure that makes these services accessible. However, not all communities can offer the amenities to meet the group’s needs, making life difficult and increasing their health risks (Miller, 2011). This paper will assess the Crowley Park neighborhood in Richardson, Texas, using a case of a 75-year-old senior adult and their needs.
Availability of Essential Services
The availability of services such as a pharmacy, a grocery store, and a hospital is critical for older people. The seventy-five-year-old woman lives alone with her dogs in Neighborhood Crowley Park and rarely receives visits from her son and daughter-in-law due to their busy schedule. For this reason, she needs to have the capacity to have access to all necessary services on her own. Most of these services are available in the neighborhood; however, driving is preferred to obtain them.
The Crowley Park neighborhood has many grocery stores, the closest being Whole Foods Market, located 1.8 miles from the woman’s house. Since she drives a car, this distance is comfortable to travel. In addition, the woman is also in good health and often goes for walks with her dog, which allows her to walk or take public transport to the store, although the journey back can be exhausting because she must carry bags. The downside to Whole Foods Market is that delivery is only available for online purchases. While computer literacy among American adults has increased in recent years, a third of them still do not use the Internet (Arcury et al., 2018). Consequently, the individual’s food availability may be limited if she does not use the Internet.
Pharmacy availability is better in her neighborhood; even though the nearest one is 2.4 miles from the woman’s home, it has a delivery service that can be ordered over the phone. The pharmacy also has a monthly delivery subscription option, which makes the service even more convenient for seniors who may forget to top up their medications (Walgreens Locator, n.d). In addition, the pharmacy offers Compound medications and has a car check-in, which is convenient for senior people. The bank is also in close proximity as it is located 1.3 miles from the woman’s house and has a support phone number for consultations.
The biggest problem is the limited availability of health services. First, there is no hospital in the neighborhood; and although the Methodist Richardson Medical Center is just a mile away, the woman has to cross a highway to get to it. This can be risky for an older adult both while driving and walking. Second, although the Texas Primary Care Center is 1.3 miles from the woman’s home and can generally be reached by car or on foot, it does not accept Medicaid coverage (Texas Primary Care Center, n.d.). This is a challenge for a 75-year-old woman, as she most likely has this type of insurance. Consequently, there is a significant risk of higher costs when treated at the Texas Primary Care Center. It is also necessary to consider the absence of a veterinary clinic in the neighborhood. Even though this fact does not pose a direct threat to the woman’s health, illness or death of a pet can cause psychological distress. Thus, while most of the services in the neighborhood are accessible to the older adult by care, there are some significant barriers.
Comfort Services
Seniors also often need help with regular household chores, as they may have difficulty doing them. In this case, the neighborhood has enough services to help maintain a comfortable life for older adults. For example, there is a restaurant with ready meals delivery, as well as a cleaning service. However, food delivery is only available online, which can be difficult for older adults. However, since food delivery in Richardson can cover multiple areas, the individual can make orders over the phone. There is also no lawn service in the neighborhood; however, they can also be ordered from another community by telephone. Thus, while the neighborhood has some disadvantages, Richardson’s services can be applied to meet the needs of older adults.
Socialization and Activities
Older adults also need activity and socialization to maintain physical strength, brain function and to deal with the stress of loneliness. Older adults who are more socially active tend to live longer and healthier. However, the Crowley Park neighborhood offers few socialization opportunities for older adults. There is a Christian church just 0.9 miles from the woman’s house, which she can attend to pray or participate in local events (Nextdoor, n.d.). However, senior activity centers are at least 5 miles from the woman’s house and are outside the neighborhood, nor do they provide transportation. Consequently, opportunities for participation in classes and social activities are limited due to the need to drive.
Safety
The Crowley Park neighborhood is generally safe and comfortable for older people. The crime rate is below average and amounts to 19.06 per 1,000 residents during a standard year (Crime Grade, 2020). The main issue is the lack of a police station and EMT, which increases the waiting time in case of urgency. However, the neighborhood has a fire station and safe streets. For example, Crowley Park is just 0.5 miles from the woman’s house, and there are well-maintained sidewalks along the route. Therefore, the individual can use this route for walking the dog.
Conclusion
Thus, the assessment demonstrates that the Crowley Park neighborhood is suitable and convenient for older people who can drive and use the Internet. However, the neighborhood has such disadvantages as limited access to medical services as well as activities and socialization opportunities for seniors. Moreover, for people who cannot drive and do not use the Internet, access to food may also be partially limited. Therefore, these aspects must be considered in the efforts to improve the infrastructure of the neighborhood.
References
Arcury, T., Sandberg, J., Melius, K., Quandt, S., Leng, X., Latulipe, C., … Bertoni, A. (2018). Older Adult Internet Use and eHealth Literacy. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 39(2), 141-150. Web.
Crime Grade. (2020). The safest and most dangerous places in Crowley, TX: Crime maps and statistics. Web.
Miller, C. (2011). Nursing for wellness in older adults. LWW.
Nextdoor. (n.d.). Crowley Park, Richardson. Web.
Texas Primary Care Center. (n.d.). Web.
Walgreens Locator. (n.d.). Walgreens – Store #6663 4201 E RENNER RD Richardson, TX 75082. Web.
