Adulthood

Adulthood is accompanied by many changes, as it is when families and work are established. Adults are frequently stereotyped as healthy and infrequent users of health care. Generally, youths in this age bracket have significant difficulties navigating the healthcare system. They face difficulties adjusting to the adult health care provider system as well as switching from a child to an adult’s mental and behavioral health system. Some people struggle as they take control of their health care for the first time.

Adults range from 25 to 44, and most people in this stage of life constantly adjust to the new pressures of working, dating, and settling in as a resident. The majority of them have many responsibilities, including employment, marriage, and kid rearing (Dyussenbayev, 2017). The majority move away from their families and may no longer have close friends and loved ones to lean on for emotional support or to be honest and respect their particular values (Age-Specific Care: Adults, 2012). In the event of illness, injury, or disability, young adults dread losing their independence, being separated from their spouses and children, and losing their jobs. As adults, they must make decisions about their treatment and care. They may sometimes ignore or dismiss indicators of disease because they believe society expects them to be strong and self-reliant, which impacts how they engage with healthcare providers.

Adults understand the new realities of family, job, and community commitments, how to fit inappropriate exercise and eating habits, and the need for rapid relaxation. They look into the effects of hospitalization or illness on a patient’s employment or family. Adults retain some of the sensitivity they felt as teenagers and are more likely to ignore or downplay sickness symptoms (Age-Specific Care: Adults, 2012). Most couples are at their most fertile, and they require assistance in assessing their long-term commitment and the obstacles it entails. They are constantly adjusting and establishing a residence to help them acclimate to the new stress of job connections. Change management, therefore, becomes a significant concern.

Many adults struggle to understand the healthcare system. At the first time, most adults struggle when they take charge of their health care (DeVoe, 2009). They face difficulties adjusting from pediatric, which they have been used to adult care, where they have to make decisions concerning their treatment and care. Besides, most adults rarely receive preventative counseling on significant issues for their age group, such as smoking and mental health. Furthermore, no comprehensive bundle of particular preventative medical, behavioral, and oral health guidelines for this age group exists. They are also seen as healthy in hospitals, with lower healthcare utilization. A trip to the hospital can be devastating to both the patient and their families (White & McManus, 2015). Caregivers, in most cases, focus entirely on family members’ medical care, and most may not give much thought to what will happen to them when they leave the hospital (Whiteman et al., 2010). After the patient is discharged, their care at home becomes critical to their health and well-being; however, some adults find themselves neglected as they are seen to have grown enough to take care of themselves.  

In conclusion, regular checkups and vaccines are recommended for adults. They should be encouraged to have a healthy lifestyle that includes proper eating, physical activity, and weight management. Long-term health risk issues such as heart disease and cancer must be understood. The doctor should talk to them about the aspects of their lives that are causing them stress. Healthcare workers can encourage adults to make healthy fitness and healthcare choices because this could be a moment of great transition, such as marriage, starting new families, having children, and starting new occupations. Therefore, adults should be treated with respect, non-judgmental, and supportive of their decisions.

References

Age-Specific Care: Adults. (2012). [Video]. Retrieved 24 May 2022, from https://youtu.be/M0IapJp9jqY.

Dyussenbayev, A. (2017). Age Periods Of Human Life. Advances In Social Sciences Research Journal, 4(6). https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.46.2924

DeVoe, J. E., Wallace, L. S., & Fryer, G. E., Jr (2009). Patient age influences perceptions about health care communication. Family medicine, 41(2), 126–133.

White, P., & McManus, M. (2015). Investing in the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults. Journal Of Adolescent Health, 57(1), 126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.04.005

Whiteman, S., McHale, S., & Crouter, A. (2010). Family Relationships From Adolescence to Early Adulthood: Changes in the Family System Following Firstborns’ Leaving Home. Journal Of Research On Adolescence, 21(2), 461-474. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00683.x