Technology Solutions for Human Services
Student Name
BSHS/352
March 18, 2012
Teacher Name

Technology Solutions for Human Services The human services industry is subject to several barriers that can hamper its efficiency and service. The abundance of technological advances can assist in removing these barriers. This paper will cover a discussion regarding three barriers to services, planning, funding, or empowerment in a specific aspect of human services. The purpose is to discover how community development helps address these barriers. A discussion will take place concerning how one could use applications of technology to overcome the barriers. One can transmit the processing, storing, and converting of necessary information securely and safely via technological methods. An additional benefit is the cost savings associated with using technology. To establish an information technology network for human services, organizations must establish an information infrastructure that will support their day-to-day operations.

Barriers – Elderly Population The first barrier is the elderly population. Because of the rising elderly population, providing the necessary services to this population can be challenging because the mental and physical abilities decline. The elderly population consisting of individuals born between the years 1946 and 1964, also known as baby boomers, are a consistently growing population requiring human services resources (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Because the elderly population continues to rise, human services providers must consider technological applications and how they can assist in providing easier and more accurate services. As individuals age, they lose some cognition and physical abilities. One other obstacle for human services with the elderly population is that the elderly may not have any experience with technological applications. Human services professionals can discover new ways to help the elderly population with the assistance of technological applications, such as word processing software, presentations, spreadsheets, report generating database programs, and telemedicine.
Word Processing Human services professionals can use word processing programs to keep lists of the elderly in different categories, to send letters advising of qualifying services, or as a reminder of appointment times. For example, human services agencies have a generic template for appointment letters. The same word processing program can keep a list of the elderly individuals, generate the letter, and generate the mailing address labels for the envelopes via mail merge. The program can save the information for future use.
Presentations
A presentation is a form of a slide show that can be beneficial to the aging population because this feature can help with memory and cognition. An elderly individual can fail to recognize simple daily tasks, which occurs because of age cognition disability. Presentations for the aging population are helpful as some of the pictures illustrated can remind an elderly individual on how to complete a tasksuch as sweeping, cooking, etc. One can also use presentations in the field for the purpose of reporting data to upper management and community members. The graph feature can track the use of available programs to this particular age group or community.

Spreadsheets Human services professionals can use spreadsheets to list information, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers of not only clients but also their family members and next of kin. A database that has this type of information can help when tracking clients to generate reports for local, state, and federal agencies. Spreadsheet reports can track the number of disabled individuals, how many elderly individuals are currently working as well as the need for programs, such as Meals on Wheels and home assistance. After the development of a spreadsheet, human service professionals use it because it offers details to employees working in different fields. For example, if human services professionals need to discover the number of elderly individuals living in a certain area, they can bring up the spreadsheet and review the information on a particular area. In addition, one can use spreadsheets for financial reporting that will help with issues concerning budgeting or funding.
Cellular Telephones Individuals of every age group are currently using cellular telephones. The need to communicate with friends, family, or work when on the road is essential nowadays regardless of age. This particular item is very convenient for elderly individuals because the phones have contact lists that can program phone numbers of immediate family members, human services professional, medical caregivers, or emergency attendants. This makes it very easy for the elderly to stay in contact with anyone with just the touch of a button. Certain cell phones also have the capability to program alarms that would aid an elderly individual with reminders to take a medication or keep an appointment. With the elderly population in mind, companies are building more phones with the GIS capability. This capability allows the phone service providers to track the location of an individual if that individual cannot provide details on his or her location.

Telemedicine Telemedicine is the process of using to telephones, computers, e-mail, and video conferencing to communicate with patients regarding health issues. With telemedicine, human services professionals can check in with the elderly from their offices or living rooms. They can see each other and converse through two-way interactive television. Telemedicine has a huge effect on communication with patients. Telemedicine gives patients and caregivers the ability to communicate through various channels. With this new technology, responses are faster, and will encourage teamwork. Telemedicine enables patients and human services providers to communicate more often and more openly, which may improve the quality of care. The elderly may be willing to disclose information via e-mail that they would be uncomfortable sharing face-to-face. Another benefit is that human services agencies can keep communication open with the elderly in rural communities far away from human services agencies that cannot come in for services. Another advantage is the ability to communicate with colleagues in other locations or doctors’ offices because it reduces travel time and the demands on office space and staff.

Conclusion Because the elderly population continues to rise, human services providers must consider technological applications and how they can assist in providing easier and more accurate services. As individuals age, they lose some cognition and physical abilities. One other obstacle for human services with the elderly population is that the elderly may not have any experience with technological applications. Human services professionals can use word processing programs to keep lists of the elderly in different categories, to send letters advising of qualifying services, or as a reminder of appointment times. A presentation is a form of a slide show that can be beneficial to the aging population because this feature can help with memory and cognition. Human services professionals can use spreadsheets to list information, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers of not only clients but also their family members and next of kin. Cellular telephones aid the need to communicate with friends, family, or work when on the road is essential nowadays regardless of age. Telemedicine gives patients and caregivers the ability to communicate through various channels. With this new technology, responses are faster and enable patients and human services providers to communicate more often and more openly, which may improve the quality of care. Human services agencies must realize the limitations of the elderly concerning technological applications and must ensure that the elderly have the proper training in place to communicate via these tools.

References du Pré, A (2005). Communicating about health: Current issues and perspectives (2nd ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). As baby boomers age, fewer families have children under 18 at home. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/release/archives/familie_households/cb09-29.html