Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Quality Geriatric Healthcare: Comparing Canada & the United States

This paper examines geriatric health policies in Canada and the United States. Analyzing geriatric health policies illustrates the importance of evaluating health outcomes and their influence on different populations, especially the elderly. Health Policies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), are decisions, plans, and actions that are taken in order to achieve a specific health care goal within a society. Explicit health policy goals can establish targets to be met on a short- and long-term basis. Geriatric healthcare targets those 65 years of age and older and is a specialization of healthcare with specialized goals. Neighboring North American countries, the United States and Canada have distinct differences in terms of geriatric healthcare outcomes. Currently, Canada's life expectancy rate is an average of 82 years, whereas, the United States' life expectancy rate is an average of 78 years. This paper investigates that distinct difference. Specifically, this paper disserts the geriatric health policies of each country by scrutinizing the hypothesis that Canada has a higher life expectancy rate, in comparison to the United States, because of Canada's universal access to health care without financial barriers.