The Health Needs of the Aging Veteran Population

The Health Needs of the Aging Veteran Population

Introduction

The aging population is a matter of recurring concern, but sometimes it seems that not just acquired a relevant role and continued in the political and social agendas them, and there is always someone else more urgent problem it relegates people to a second term. Maybe not immune to this difficulty flashing understand exactly what it is, not so much aging population, and its consequences. In science and, more specifically mind, the social sciences is evident the difficulty presented by the reflection on the effects of demographic changes on societies, collective lifestyles and institutions through of which we organize (Mohamed, 2008). However, aging is a privileged prism through which to address the larger task analysis of social reality. First by invites us to reflect on the relationship between our biological nature, represented by age and the finitude of life and our social being, which translates into ways of acting, thinking and feeling. Age is the measure human time and it is in both directions, as vital time and as historical time.

The number of veteran population has increased the need of mental health and other health services from the US department of Veterans. Veterans (the First World War, the Second World War or the Korean War) are a segment con- siderable of the population. In US, about an aging population on ten is a veteran and a five senior men went to war. However, the veteran population is aging and declining. The average age of veterans was 78 years in 2001. The population population of veterans were nearly 357.000 people 2001 is projected to decrease by 30% between 2001 and 2005.Unfortunately VA's long term facilities are not able to provide sufficient support to veterans and their disorders that cannot be treated at home. It is very important the immediate steps should be taken to strengthen resources for manpower, training, and research in order to facilitate the future needs of mental health and other health care problems in our gaining veterans. America is facing two main issues these days, the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and health care. VA's department contains 40% caseload of veterans of 65 and older (Essau, 2005).

For example Albert (Pseudonym) was a soldier in Vietnam in rifle platoon. He had direct involvement in combat with Viet Cong (VC) for almost a year, the fear of losing his platoon and oppressive weather conditions made him return back home. As he return back home his parents immediately started to notice behavioral changes in Albert. His parents found many changes in him as he was not the same person went for the war (Eley, 2000). He started to smoke and drink heavily, because of continuity in this type of behavior caused troubles to his job. He was living in a house where there was no electricity or heath because he was not able to pay bills. He became a very short tempered person and one night ...