Older people and the health care system

The Australian Journal of Nursing has published an article by Moira Greaves et al, called, "The experience of socially isolated older people in accessing and navigating the health care system." It reports findings from a study exploring the challenges experienced by socially isolated and unwell older people as they attempted to access the health care system. The authors conclude that an understanding of the specific issues confronting these individuals would inform the development of more appropriate models of community-based aged care. Fear, an unwillingness to be dependent on others and lack of public transport to make medical appointments, were among the factors inhibiting this group from accessing health services.