Human Services using technology to overcome barriers - Essay Example

Impediments may arise on the planning, funding, empowerment and in the execution of the service and these obstacles differ from a certain kind of human service to another. Obstacles may have different faces on each and every type of human service clientele but the barrier that gives the one of the most substantial effects is the adjustment to the trend in a certain demographic. Say for example, people who were born during the baby boomer period which is between 1946 and 1964 have contributed to a significant increase in the United States population during that time.

And ever since the start of the baby boomer period, most companies and businesses have been using the age bracket as a trend to which product or service will benefit the big lot of the population and would also bring to them considerable profits. It goes the same way with human services, the rising number of a particular age group compels human service providers the need to expand and improve their services to be able to accommodate this demographic. If you count the years, the people born during the baby boomer period are now retired professionals or those who are already bidding for retirement.

More and more people in the United States are getting older by the minute, meaning that these people are now prone to a rapid loss of cognition and physical handicap. Let’s take a look at the case of sidewalks and transit. In a recent news report, the aging boomers have been causing considerable traffic along sidewalks and local transit that were built for the younger ones. This has been a challenge for most cities in America because their communities are designed for a youth-oriented society.

There have been local initiatives for some cities like New York who is now recognized by World Health Organization as a leader in promoting age-friendly communities. Other cities have also followed the footsteps of New York. Philadelphia aims to create a walk-able community which can help older adults to be healthier. In Portland, Oregon, there has been planning for new zoning policies to fit senior citizen’s concerns. In this situation we might be asking, how is the US going to cope up in this situation better than relying on mere local initiatives?

The answer is sustaining and empowerment. This may be the second barrier identified in this particular type human service. By the year 2050, 20% of the American population will be seniors. And across the globe, roughly 2 billion people will be 60 years old or older and 400 million of them are over the age of 80. The United States should prepare for this situation and should promote an environment that would allow the older people to participate. Another barrier that human services might be facing for a long time is the financial structure of these types of organizations.

The eagerness of human service organizations to improve the services they offer may not be equivalent to the actual financial resources they have. To be able to increase their efficiency and