Q: Can you give me an example of a statement of the problem from an actual proposal?

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• How to write a statement of the problem 

Here is an example of a statement of problem from an actual proposal:

Project summary: To fund the ElderHelp Concierge Club to combine high quality care
management services with in-home volunteer services and use an innovative fee-based system - membership program that delivers the support systems seniors need at a price they can afford – that will support ElderHelp to both serve more seniors and better sustain the program over time.

Problem Statement:

There is a tremendous need for coordinated and accessible home-based services for seniors in the Grossmont Healthcare District. According to the San Diego County Survey of Older Americans completed by the County’s Aging and Independent Services in December of 2008, the eastern areas of the county have some of the highest populations of seniors in the county with the highest in La Mesa (21%). ElderHelp has identified additional census tracks within the communities of San Carlos, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley, Santee, Lakeside and El Cajon where 35% of the population is over the age of 65. According to the 2000 Census, within these
areas there are 10,221 seniors who are over the age of 65 living on their own. Many are female living on less than $16,000 per year.

As the economy continues to decline and the state cuts services for seniors, the need for more cost effective and coordinated community-based solutions deepens throughout the region and in the Grossmont Healthcare District area.
• According to Aging and Independent Services, 20% of seniors have serious concerns
about finding affordable homecare services.
• Of the seniors surveyed, 35% lived alone and nearly 40% felt they did not have enough
money to live on.
• Activities seniors rated as difficult or unable to complete included housework, shopping,
preparing meals and accessing transportation.
• These services are not just inaccessible but they are also expensive. According to the
UCLA Centers for Health, seniors in San Diego will pay on average $519 per month ($6,228
annually) for just six hours of services and phone support from a case manager.
• These services seem to be especially out of reach for single women.
• Alternatively, seniors and their families may turn to the newspaper or Internet and hire
someone without a background check, which can be dangerous and leave seniors
susceptible to elder abuse.

Healthcare issues and chronic disease also compound these struggles. As people age they
become more susceptible to chronic disease which is the major cause of death among older adults.
• The top three causes of death for U.S. adults aged 65 or older are heart disease (32% of all deaths), cancer (22%), and stroke (8%).
• These reasons account for 62% of all deaths of older adults.
• In San Diego, 72 % of local seniors receive flu shots annually and 61% are vaccinated for pneumonia, both falling below the “Healthy People” benchmarks.
• According to the San Diego Senior Health Report released in May of this year, nearly 21% of San Diego County seniors have heart disease, 31% have had cancer, 15% have been diabetic and more than 50% are overweight.

Chronic disease in older adults can lead to limitations in daily activities, reduce health-related quality of life for seniors and increase the use of emergency healthcare and hospitalizations. Chronic disease can cause disabilities that result in falls and injuries and also contribute to debilitating pain and depression. Certainly there are many health options for seniors in East County, but they are for those seniors who are mobile and able to get places on their own without aid or assistance.

The Concierge Club is an innovative model that addresses these growing health and human challenges that seniors and their families are facing. There are currently no coordinated in-home options for seniors that are affordable and community-based. ElderHelp plans to grow the Concierge Club from its current membership and expand its services within the Grossmont Healthcare District.