Helping the Elderly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Helping the Elderly - Essay Example Going by this theory, elders are in the stage of self actualization and in this stage, they are not attracted by desires etc. All they need is peace and they will be in a position where they know about themselves clearly. At this stage most of the needs are fulfilled. Relating the theory with the case clearly shows one of the major needs of elders - health. Most of the elders are in need of drugs and medicines to relieve them from their diseases. So medicine also becomes the basic need for elders. Most of the drug/medicine businesses are targeted at this basic need of elders. The elders are in a stage of dependency due to their physical and mental weakness. In this case, both the government and Insurance companies must come to the aid of elders as the elders depend directly on medicine for their survival. The role of Doctors, Health care Industry (Drugs), Insurance Companies and Government have a direct impact on the life of elders. These key persons must change their attitude and mindset from looking at elders as a revenue source and start helping them in their own ways. It's no secret that average costs of prescription drugs have raised dramatically in the past decade. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average retail prices for brand name drugs in the United States more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, from $27 in 1990 to $65 in 2000. The obvious question is: Why? One of the major reasons is the advertising cost spent by health care companies. The amount of money that has been spent promoting drugs since the new FDA regulations went into effect is staggering. In 1996, the drug industry spent $791 million on mass media advertising. Four years later, that number more than tripled to $2.5 billion. ... I approached the case study considering the important people in the case. i.e. Doctors Health care Industry (Drugs) Insurance Companies Government Elders The role of Doctors, Health care Industry (Drugs), Insurance Companies and Government have a direct impact on the life of elders. These key persons must change their attitude and mindset from looking at elders as a revenue source and start helping them in their own ways. The decisions to be taken by doctors are to charge less to elders. The decisions to be taken by health care industry personnel are to provide drugs at a cheap cost to elders. The decisions to be taken by Insurance companies are to charge low premium from elders and compensate them quickly on their medical expenses. The decisions to be taken by Government are to provide tax cut and provisions on high priced medicines to elders. If possible, the Government must distribute them free of cost to elders. Why are prescription drug prices so high The drug prices are tremendously huge. It's no secret that average costs of prescription drugs have raised dramatically in the past decade. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, average retail prices for brand name drugs in the United States more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, from $27 in 1990 to $65 in 2000. The obvious question is: Why One of the major reasons is the advertising cost spent by health care companies. The amount of money that has been spent promoting drugs since the new FDA regulations went into effect is staggering. In 1996, the drug industry spent $791 million on mass media advertising. Four years later, that number more than tripled to $2.5 billion. All told, the U.S. drug industry spent $15.7 billion