Describe the characteristics of the aging process. Explain how some of the characteristics may lead to elder abuse (memory issues, vulnerability, etc.). Discuss the types of consideration
Describe the characteristics of the aging process. Explain
[SOLVED 2023] Describe the characteristics of the aging process. Explain how some of the characteristics may lead to elder abuse (memory issues, vulnerability, etc.). Discuss the types of consideration.
Describe the characteristics of the aging process. Explain how some of the characteristics may lead to elder abuse (memory issues, vulnerability, etc.). Discuss the types of consideration a nurse must be mindful of while performing a health assessment on a geriatric patient as compared to a middle-aged adult.
DQ 2
End-of-life care becomes an issue at some point for elderly clients. Even with the emergence of palliative care programs and hospice programs, most elderly people do not die in their own home as is their preference. What are the reasons for this trend? Discuss what you can do as a nurse to support your clients regarding end-of-life care in accordance with their wishes. Support your response with evidence-based literature.
Expert Answer and Explanation
DQ 1
Aging Patients
Characteristics of Aging
Scholars have not developed a specific definition of the term aging. However, in general terms, aging in humans is the process of growing older as time goes. In terms of health, aging can be characterized in many ways. Lipska et al. (2016) mention that aging people have the following features. First, an aging person urinates frequently because of relaxed bladder muscles.
The muscles can relax due to irritation, infection, or any other cause. Second, an aging individual has weaker bones, muscles, and joints as compared to a middle-aged or a young person. Also, as a person grows old, his heart rate may pump slower, and thus leading to many medical problems. Lastly, aging is characterized by poor eyesight.
Elder Abuse
Some of the aging characteristics can make gaged individuals face various types of elder abuse. Senior people can be abused because of their poor eyesight. For instance, a person can make them sign fake documents that may cause them to lose their property due to poor eyesight. Also, aged people with hearing problems can be misinformed by people caring for them because of their condition.
Abbruzzese and Simon (2018) mention that senior people might be left in their rooms alone and isolated because they have week joints, muscles, and bones and cannot move.
Caring for Senior Patients
A nurse must consider certain things before they medically assess their patients. First, they must consider their hearing capacity. For elderly patients with hearing problems, the nurses must get their attention through speaking their names and touching their shoulder gently. When the patients have sight issues, the nurses should write instructions in clear and bold handwriting.
References
Abbruzzese, L. D., & Simon, P. (2018). Special Concerns for the LGBT Aging Patient: What Rehab Professionals Should Know. Current Geriatrics Reports, 7(1), 26-36.
Lipska, K. J., Krumholz, H., Soones, T., & Lee, S. J. (2016). Polypharmacy in the aging patient: a review of glycemic control in older adults with type 2 diabetes. Jama, 315(10), 1034-1045.
DQ 1 Alternative Answer 2
Characteristics of the Ageing Process
The human body is programmed to become weaker with age. This is because of a higher rate of cell death and a lower potential of the body cells to regenerate among the older individuals. In the US, there are over 50 million individuals above 65 years, a number which has been increasing over the years (Crimmins et al.
, 2017).
Most of the theories that explain ageing emphasize on the fact that it is not possible for people to avoid the passage of time, but clearly explain that the rate of aging can definitely be slowed. Nurses who attend to geriatric patients are asked to give more attention to the specific health needs of ageing people such as memory loss associated complications.
Characteristics of the Ageing Process
One of the principal characteristics of the aging process is decline