Technology Solutions for Human Services Paper
The human service profession involves various obstacles to overcome when working with a variety of clients. Obstacles are seen in all phases of human services in areas providing services, planning programs, and funding troubles. However, the elimination of some of these barriers can be done with the use of proper technology. Providing services to the aging population can be challenging, when providing services to this particular group because of the rising elderly population needing help and the decline of mental and physical aging individual. The following sections of this assignment will attempt to identify some of the technological applications that can be of use to overcome these barriers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 individuals born between 1946 and 1964 is the era that many babies were born, earning the title of baby boomers. This in turn involves a constantly growing number of individuals needing services from the human service profession. With the rising number of this particular age group, human service providers are considering the need for more technology to help these individuals live with quality and dignity. A common fact is that as individuals’ age, he or she will have lost some cognition and physical disabilities.
Another common obstacle for the elderly and the human service professional to defeat is that the aging person is not proficient with the modern technology environment (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). Human services providers are finding that he or she must find new ways to help the elderly with the aid of technology such as computers programs that include geographic information systems (GIS) in which will help locate elderly individuals in need of assistance in rural areas. The website for the American Association of Homes & Services for the Aging, 2011 states that recent research illustrates that technology has the potential of playing a vital role when introducing a new model of geriatric care that permits an older
References: American Association of Homes & Services for the Aging, 2011. Latest News and Resources.
Retrieved January 8, 2011 from http://www2.aahsa.org/
U.S.Census Bureau, 2011. Newsroom: As Baby Boomers Age, Fewer Families Have Children
Under 18 at home. Retrieved January 8, 2011 from
http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/families_households/cb09-29.html
U.S.Census Bureau, 2011. Poverty. Retrieved January 8, 2011 from
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html