What does Low Health Literacy Look Like in Seniors?

·                       Health Literacy is the ability to make healthy choices, navigate the health care system, and respond appropriately in a public health crisis. Our federal government estimates that only 1 in 10 Americans are proficient at health literacy skills, with that number dropping to 1 in 33 for mental health literacy.

·                   Seniors are known to lose their health literacy skills as they age.    Having two or more chronic illnesses (and mild hearing loss is considered a chronic illness) is linked to losing health literacy skills as well. People who have low health literacy skills are at much higher risk of serious injury and premature death than people whose health literacy skills are better.

             While I usually dislike blogs with lists, in this case, the list below is designed to help you see whether or not you or your aging loved one is risking their health and safety unnecessarily.  If you can see these behaviors in yourself or your loved ones, please contact me at info@healthliteracyforall.org to learn how to live a healthy future.

·          So what are some of the behaviors that are linked to low health literacy, especially in seniors?

o   Inability to understand or follow the doctor’s orders

o   Forgetting to take their medication, or taking it wrong. Even when they are justifying their reasons for not taking it

o   Inability to judge their own driving skills

o   Unable to make decisions based on safety and health issues. They often argue independence over safety and well being

o   Cannot read expiration dates on products. Especially hazardous as they often lose their sense of taste/smell as well.

o   Does not know what medications they are taking or why they are taking them.

o   Cannot operate tv, remote, cell phone that they could use previously

o   Not prepared to deal with bad weather. When it snows, they expect you to be there now to shovel them out.

o   Doesn’t keep up with personal care as they did a few months/years ago.

o   Doesn’t maintain their home as they did. Hoarding or throwing out important things.

o   Refuses to discuss the future, wills, life insurance, housing options, what the doctor is telling them.

o   They shove mail places rather than dealing with the paperwork as it comes in. if you look, you may find late notices and cancellations.

2 Health Literacy Skills and Growing Up

Health Literacy is (in English) the ability to make healthy choices and to navigate the health care system whether you are healthy or ill. There are 22 core skills and pieces of knowledge that go into making a person proficient at health literacy. And to some extent, those skills vary as you age.

When you are a child, your parents handle your health care needs and make most choices for you. No 4 year old has ever chosen to grow up un-vaccinated, in a smoking home, using an emergency room as a primary care doctor's office. (All, I hope you know, are low health literate behaviors.) Because we do not yet have comprehensive health literacy classes in schools and colleges, sadly what you learned at four is likely to follow you through to 14, 24, 44 and beyond. But in those few areas of the country where health literacy skills are being taught, children can learn to be their own health advocates.

One of the key skills to develop in health literacy training is the ability to communicate with your doctor. This is a skill that should be developed from toddlerhood on. I know what you are thinking! Toddlerhood? She's crazy! But stop and think for a minute. If your child is old enough to say "my finger has a boo-boo" to you, (s)he is old enough to say it to the doctor. You may have to give further explanations, "he slammed it in the car door," or "she burnt it on the stove." But learning from toddlerhood to talk to the doctor is a key skill to getting your child used to being able to give all their information to the doctor.

As your child ages, parent should allow their child to get the first chance to answer all the doctor's questions. When a child has told his parent that his throat hurts, and he is clearly running a fever, the parent is likely to assume strep throat and call the doctor. When the doctor asks if the child's ears hurts, or if his stomach is also upset, the parent really doesn't know. By answering for the child, usually with a "he didn't complain about that," the parent shuts down the child's ability to tell the doctor what he is feeling. What 6 year old is going to say, "well actually doctor my ears really are killing me, my throat is just even worse," when mom has already said no?

By the time you child is a pre-teen, the doctor should be asking you to leave the room for a few minutes. This is not so your child can be harmed, but for privacy as the doctor checks for hernias or asks "have you tried drinking alcohol?" There are just some things a teen will not say in front of their parent, but the questions still need to be answered truthfully to the doctor. Don't take it personally, be glad you taught your teen to trust their doctor and they have someone they trust who will take the time to ask the tough questions, and give correct answers to your teen's most personal questions.

Another key skill is the ability to fill out paperwork. By the time they can write their name on the little lines, you can begin to give your child their paperwork to fill out. At first, it might just be their name and phone number, but year after year, they will be able to fill out more and more of it with less and less of your help. Obviously, until they are 18, the parent will still need to sign all the forms, but they gain invaluable real world experience by filling out the forms as soon as possible. It will certainly make it easier for them to fill out their first job application, when they are already familiar with the medical forms. Also, there is a lot of questions on the intake forms on health history. This becomes a great chance for the parent to talk about the family's medical history (your grandmother had breast cancer, your Grandpa Charlie died of a heart attack when you were 2) that might not get discussed anywhere else.

As always, if you have any questions about the information contained within this blog, feel free to email me at Info@healthliteracyforall.org.