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Researched by Eric G. |
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Dedication
I would like to dedicate my project to my mom and dad because they helped set up the interview and volunteering.
Why I Chose This Topic
There
are several reasons I decided to take this opportunity to study all
about homeless health care. First my mom works for an
organization Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, (YNHS) which is a
clinic for poor and homeless people.
Research summary
Introduction
People every year are caught off guard by homelessness. They will
be living a normal life when suddenly they are struck with bankruptcy
or the loss of a job. Some will get help from shelters, but
others will not. Then they will have to survive outside,
defending for themselves. Regardless if they find a shelter or not,
they still have to deal with sickness and injury, but with six times a
greater risk of getting sick or injured.
Diseases
Homeless
people are victims of many diseases and they do not get better very
easily. About one third of homeless people have mental health
diseases and do not get cared for correctly. Homeless people have
a six times greater chance of getting diseases, like the flu and the
common cold which can turn into pneumonia and be very bad.
Injuries can also be a problem because cuts can get infected and get
very serious.
Causes
Many things
can cause homelessness. Some people will become homeless simply
because they can’t afford car bills or house payments. Homeless
people may have been poor, but were living fine, then will lose their
houses simply because the cost of groceries or gas.
Homeless Numbers
In
twenty-five U.S. cities, 36% of homeless people are families with or
without children. Thirty percent of homeless people are
forty-five or older. Two to three million people experience
homelessness at least once in their life. One and one half
million children either live in vehicles or are living on the streets
either in families or alone. Around two fifths of homeless people
are females, and about one out of every seven homeless people are
living in a family.
Careers to help the Homeless
To
be a nurse practitioner you must have graduated from a nurse practice
program. You would need to have knowledge of standard
procedures. You need to be licensed in Washington. The
salary would depend on performance and experience.
Skills needed to become a Nurse Practitioner
Nurse
Practitioners have a variety of skills. This job requires
walking, standing and bending over. You must be in good health
and have good hearing and vision. Your job may involve moving
patients from one place to another. This job may involve handling
blood and body fluids. You would need decent hand eye
coordination and must provide care to all patients and document your
work.
Health Insurance
Very
few homeless people have health insurance so they cannot get health
care unless it is an emergency. Sixty-five percent of employers
provide health insurance, but since most homeless people don’t have
jobs they don’t get it. Without medical coverage, they cannot get
as much care as the average person gets. Without health
insurance, they are vulnerable, so even a cold can do a lot of damage.
Conclusion
Homelessness
is a serious problem not only in Yakima, but the whole world. For
my volunteering, I collected peanut butter, delivered cans and went to
homeless convention. Health care is very important in the
homeless community. There are people trying to stop homelessness, but
it is not an easy task.
How I Evaluate My Entire Project
(1) How thorough and complete was my project?
My project is pretty thorough but it probably could be better, maybe.
(2) What would I do differently if starting over again?
I would probably work harder.
(3) What major strengths does my project have?
My project is strong in information.
(4) What weaknesses or problems does my project have?
I did not go over the minimum of paragraphs.
(5) What did I learn to do better during this project?
I learned to get as much information as possible.
(6) In what ways did I enjoy my study and work?
I enjoy working on my poster.
Who Helped Me With My Project
I would like to thank the following people: my mom and dad for organizing my community service and interview.
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