WEEK 9- Marginalized Populations, Mental Health & Well-Being

Acknowledge the territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.
Understand the importance of recognizing Indigenous peoples in relation to the land and resources.
Note that Brock University is situated on this traditional territory, which includes First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

Definition of Marginalized Populations:
- Groups excluded from social, economic, educational, and cultural life due to factors such as ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, language, and immigration status.
Comfort with Diversity:
- Emphases the value of diversity for individual and social well-being.
- Requires sensitivity to clients' cultural beliefs, values, and practices.
- Acknowledge historical injustices and power imbalances.

Importance:
- Recognizes that past trauma can affect patients' responses and interactions with care systems.
- Care systems should avoid re-traumatization by empowering individuals rather than exerting power over them.

Definition:
- A theoretical perspective that examines how different social characteristics (race, ethnicity, gender, class) interact and influence each other.
Key Elements:
- Challenges traditional views of race and gender as separate categories.
- Advocates for recognizing how diverse social locations are fluid and influenced by power dynamics.

Structural Intersectionality:
- Focuses on the intersection of multiple social locations and structural barriers affecting marginalized groups (e.g., housing, immigration status, etc.).
Political Intersectionality:
- Examines how women and girls in subordinate positions often have conflicting political agendas.
Representational Intersectionality:
- Concerns the portrayal of marginalized groups in media, focusing on how these images can overlook the intersectional interests of these groups.

Common stereotypes about older persons include:
- Illness and disability.
- Lack of interest in sexual activities.
- Technological incompetence.
- Forgetfulness and rigidity.
Definition of Ageism:
- A deep-seated prejudice against older adults, categorizing them as senile and rigid, which leads to neglect and social isolation.

Negative biases persist among health care professionals, affecting the quality of care older patients receive.
Ageism is a barrier to achieving health equity.

Presentation of advanced age, co-existing health issues, and increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes is common.
Need to assess the level of functioning prior to hospitalization to avoid complications such as delirium, malnutrition, and falls.

Nurses must combat ageism by:
- Questioning negative stereotypes.
- Advocating for the dignity and independence of older patients.

Defined as conditions in older persons that do not fit specific disease categories, often leading to substantial morbidity and poor outcomes.
Common examples include frailty, falls, and cognitive decline.
Risk Factors:
- Older age, cognitive impairment, functional impairment, and adverse nutritional status.

Adjusting to aging involves:
- Managing decreased health and strength.
- Coping with retirement and potential loss.
- Redefining relationships and maintaining quality of life.

Focus on:
- Timely detection of illness symptoms.
- Identifying underlying causes of health issues.
Types of health care services include home care, assisted living, and nursing homes.
Restorative Care:
- Aims to recover independence in daily activities post-illness or surgery.
Palliative Care:
- Improves quality of life for patients with life-limiting diseases through interprofessional collaboration and effective symptom management.