...Abstract As life expectancy increases the number of older adults requiring long-term care of some kind increases. These adults have varying needs, but most adults have problems with skin integrity, muscle weakness, and emotional issues in long-term care facilities. Interventions to meet these needs focus on preventing skin break down, improving muscle strength to prevent falls, and settings that promote usefulness and a feeling of not being alone. Current options available to older adults may not meet all of their needs, and creativity is needed in devising interventions to meet these needs. Structuring long-term care settings to encourage activity in older adults and connecting with other generations can help prevent feelings of loneliness and uselessness, and help older adults live meaningful and productive lives in long-term care settings. Long-Term Healthcare Needs of the Elderly As adults age many will require long-term health care. The evolving needs of the older adult population will require creative and new ways to meet their health care needs. This paper will look at the needs older adults have, and options that are currently available to meet these long-term care needs. This paper will also present new options that have been proposed for long-term health care settings, how these options compare with current interventions, and what outcomes can be expected if these new options are implemented. The Problem As life expectancies increase the older adult population...
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...psychological, or social health” (de Chesney, 2012). There are many vulnerable populations and this paper will concentrate on the elderly. According to Walsh (2009), the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), states the elderly are considered anyone 65 years old or older. With the increased lifespan of elderly, there have become new demographics of young old (65-74), old (75-84), and oldest old (85 & over), and the frail old (anyone over 65 with physical or cognitive disabilities). The US census bureau estimated in 2011, the population of elderly persons 65 and over living in the U.S. to be 311,501,917. Between 2000 and 2010, the population 65 and over grew at a faster rate than any other population in the United States, 15.1% compared to 9.7% of the rest of the US population. Thirteen percent of the population is elderly; 55.2% are married, 32% live with family members, 51.7% are female, 48.3% are male, 60% are white, 17% are black, 18% are Hispanic, and 5% are other races. Education wise, 10.9% have less than a 9th grade , 10.3% have attended between 9th and 12th grade but did not receive a diploma, 36.4% are high school graduates, 20.6% have some college, and 22.5% have Bachelor’s degree or greater. It is estimated that elderly between the ages of 65-84 are doubling as the baby boomers age, with 85 and over being the fastest growing group due to elderly people living longer (US Census Bureau, 2012). As one ages, there are often cognitive changes and physical disabilities...
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...Design for Elderly Friendly Nurul Hidayah Ahmad Alemi SYS 705 Advanced Interaction Design Universiti Teknologi MARA nurul0903@yahoo.com Abstract—A number of senior citizen population or elderly people increased every year. There are many difficulties and weaknesses involve as we get older such as cognitive disabilities, memory decline, poor vision, thus the assistive technology nowadays should follows some design specification that suitable for an elderly to satisfy and simplify their everyday life needs. Hence, this paper attempts to discuss about the issues, concept, applications and design for elderly friendly in details. Keywords—Elderly: Assistive Technology: Design for Elderly. II. ISSUES In the past few years, people assume elderly pathetic, poor and unfortunate also useless. They have been national development and nation. On the other hand, designer should follow some design guidelines on how to design the assistive technology or application that suitable for the elderly depending on their type of impairment or disabilities. considered not so important in the community. Nowadays, community realize that the elderly should involve or participate in the social and community activities as they had a lot of knowledge, experience and I. INTRODUCTION Elderly is defined as aged 60 years and above. The number of older people is rapidly increasing in Malaysia and also in developing countries [1],[2]. The rapid wisdom that can be shared to give some ideas in the requirement...
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...take care of the elderly. The cost for care has gone up also, making more families opt to keep their loved ones at home instead of sending them to the nursing homes. The fear of elder abuse is higher now because of the cost rise in elder care. Nursing homes are being frowned upon because they do not have enough staff to properly take care of the patients they have. This presents a big problem for society because either choice, nursing homes or in home care can have a negative outcome for our elderly. Abuse is happening more often because we were not prepared in advance to take care of this jump in patients. This paper will look at this issue from a utilitarianism point of view as well as an emotivism point of view. From a utilitarianism point of view the best way to fix this problem would be for more people to pay attention to the elderly. Everyone working together to fix this issue would be the best route. Leaving it to only a few people is not going to work. Laws have been passed and yet we still have elder abuse going on. For the elderly that are being taken care of in their homes there should be more than one family member taking care of the person when at all possible. Each family member could take turns so that no one person gets over loaded and stressed out. That would keep them from taking it out on the elder family member. In a commentary in the Los Angeles Sentinel Meyer (2004) wrote "Elder Abuse is the mistreatment of an elderly person by someone...
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...The opportunity to be able to continue living in their own homes and be independent as possible is very important for aging people. This means the elderly people may be reluctant to think of themselves as dependent and in need of care. Likewise, eighty year old Mr Len Robbins desires to retain control over his ageing life in his own home. Mr Robbins has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, pulmonary fibrosis and myocardial infarction. This paper will examine how nurses can provide safe care to Mr Robbins within his home environment. It will also discuss whether nurses can fulfil the wishes of Mr Robbins and his daughter while minimising his risk of physical and psychological injury. The ageing process requires the elderly to adapt to changes in their physical, social, emotional and mental health states (Thygesen et al., 2009). The elderly are always at risk of physical and mental illness (Boehlke, 2009).Therefore, placing the elderly people in a nursing home is not the optimum solution to keeping them safe and healthy; providing a “Hospital in the Home” to Mr Robbins maybe a better choice in order to ensure that he and his daughter’s wishes are fulfilled. A Hospital in the Home’s patients are visited by doctors and nurses at least once a day and is covered by Medicare for a senior Australian. Hospital in the Home can also provide Mr Robbins with needed equipment such as shower stool and toilet chair to minimise his risk of falls and injuries (Boehlke, 2009; De Blok et al., 2010)...
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...of science and technology learning for the elderly Many old people think that computers are young and professional patents, their own and computer missed. In fact, a few years ago, my grandfather learned through the study of the family commonly used computer operation, at home can enjoy the use of computers, enjoy the computer, enrich the spiritual life of old age. Looking back three years of computer learning, his feeling got a lot of positive help and influence. In order to pay more attention to the Internet era, China 60 years old and above the elderly digital survival status, with social care to help the elderly to keep up with the times. My interview is from my grandfather. He is a 75-year-old man. At the time...
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...part of everyone’s daily life especially towards the development of robots for the elderly. Frank Tobe, a robotics analyst and publisher of The Robot Reports, explains and describes about the different type of technologies that are beginning to come to the market to help the elderly to live in their homes for as long as possible. Joseph Engelberger, who is a robotics pioneer, created and helped with the invention of the first industrial robot. The need for eldercare technology continues to increase throughout the years. A study from Georgia Tech showed and proved the seniors preferred robotic help for household chores but not for personal needs such as getting help to get dressed up, bathing, and many more. The consequences for having robot-care can vary depending on what type of care the robot is providing to the elders. One consequence would be that robots would be replacing jobs that humans once had. Robots that are used for medical purposes could dramatically change the way we treat the ailments. Many researches are experimenting with robots to perform surgical performances such as a heart surgery. Over the years, robotic engineers are trying to develop nano-robots that could be injected into cancer patients in order to selectively kill cancer cells. For elderly people with impairments such as a spinal cord injury or some sort of paralysis caused by a stroke, robots are able to assist the elderly in a rehabilitation process. Today, there are many problems with organizations trying...
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...Society’s attitude about death is defined with the views of the individual. All of the attitudes can be attributed to how someone is raised and the ideas that impacted their lives. For example, if someone is raised in a church that believes that you are born again, then when our physical bodies die our spirit goes to be in heaven and they will see each other again. This is just one of many examples. Others believe that we are reincarnated and come back in another form or nothing happens at all when you die. Overall it is believed that death is a part of life and ultimately there is no argument for what the final outcome of death. People will often try to make death sound more pleasant by using phrases like passed away or passed on. When you hear about the birth of a baby into a family there is much excitement when the news is spread, however when the idea that a person is about to die there is usually a lot of stress, anxiety and fear. If an individual has a fear of death or thinks they can avoid death then there are seminars and classes that can be taken to try to deal with any anxiety that can be felt because of this. I work in an environment where there can be death every day. I have had a fear of death before and still sometimes still feel scared. It is my hope that as I continue to work I will become less fearful and learns from the others that I am working around. Many of the residents that I work with seem like they are ready to die and they have a plan in place...
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...Literature Review: ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- Elderly Care Introduction: Approximately 90% of people who take advantage of the elderly are their own family members. Elder abuse has a negative impact on the victimized elders worldwide. It is defined as intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm (whether or not harm is intended) to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder. This includes failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder’s basic needs or to protect the elder from harm (Bonnie, R, & Wallace, R Eds., 2003). Although there is a lack of statistical information of elder abuse, there are sources that provide proof that elder abuse is a bigger issue than people perceive it to be. It can occur in many forms such as physical, emotional, financial and sexual abuse. In this paper, the question being investigated is “How knowledgeable are Barbadians on the effects of elder abuse?” The following literature reviews attempts to answer this question. Review of Findings: Each literature piece that has been reviewed pointed out that elder abuse is a major issue and is a topic that is given little recognition or response. According to Penny Bain and Charmaine Spencer, 2014, about 80% of abuse or neglect of older adults is hidden or goes undetected in Canada. Only about one in five cases of abuse come to the attention...
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...Services For many generations, care of the elderly has continually been the responsibility of various family members. The elderly individual needing care would generally stay in the home of their children or other relatives until their death like some still do today. In various cultures such as that of the Chinese and Japanese, their traditions dictate that caring for the elderly whether it be a parent or an uncle or aunt is a matter of honor and a way to show respect to their elderly. In some countries, especially impoverished ones, the care of the elderly continues to fall on the family because they have no financial means to seek other methods of care or no services are available where they live. Fortunately for those who live in countries such as the U.S., Europe and Australia, there are many services available to aid in the care of the elderly which gives family members other options and assistance as needed. Caring for the elderly consists of many different factors and can at times be impossible for those wanting to provide care for their loved ones at home. Financial factors and health factors are two of the most significant issues that determine how the elderly are cared for. Other factors hinge on whether or not the family member providing care has space in their own home, is able to arrange their schedule to provide that care, or already their own health issues that would prevent them from providing care to an elderly family member. Due to those circumstances, the...
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...Caring for Elderly Parents How to care for elderly parents is a major concern of many Foreign Service families. Our concerns mirror those of other American families, but how to ensure good health care, find the right living situation, and handle legal questions is often complicated for Foreign Service families by being posted abroad. The distance involved makes it harder to get information and help so contingency planning is essential. Often Foreign Service families only have short visits during R & R or on home leave and hate to spend the precious time with their parents talking about serious business or unpleasant possibilities. Or we may be caught up in hectic preparations for an overseas assignment and not want to take the time to do contingency planning with parents. While it is difficult to discuss the issues of aging, the family who has discussed the options and agreed on plans will be better able to handle whatever happens. It will be worth the time taken, if there is an emergency. The ideal situation is when the parents take control of their own situations and make decisions in advance of an emergency. They should investigate the types of retirement options and decide which is most appropriate, make informed decisions about life-sustaining medical care, and make sure that documents, instructions, and powers of attorney are available to those who must take responsibility in an emergency. The American Association of Retired Persons recommends that elderly people use...
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...HIPPA rules and regulations are being used by all employees. By making sure that HIPPA rules and regulations are being upheld, the nursing home is providing quality care to the patients. When a change happens at a nursing home there can be confusion and conflict with everyone involved. While following the chain of command can be long and even boring, it is needed to keep the communication process smooth and effective. The chain of command does help reduce the risk of a communication breakdown. If a communication breakdown is developed it can cause commotion in any health care facility which could jeopardize everyone involved. With being the nursing home administrator, the first job that I would need to do is have a full understanding of the new policies and procedures. I would need to know how the policies and procedures were put into place and how exactly this will affect the patient’s in the nursing home. In order to do this I would want to speak with the board members so my concerns could be addressed. In order to address these issues I could meet with the board members face to face, use social media, or by electronic communication. There are advantages to having traditional face to face meetings. The members are able to see my body language, facial expressions, and hear the tone of my voice while communicating my concerns. With the traditional meetings, it will also allow the board members to respond to my concerns right away with a limited amount of interruptions. While...
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...of Vulnerability are the elderly. The elderly are more susceptible to functional deterioration and therefore need special support and medical attention in the health care context. Caring for elderly people, especially those with medical problems can be nerve-racking, and that can combine with other stressors, such as financial or marital problems, and will further cause caregivers to become neglectful .In the long run caregivers become encouraged to send their old folks to medical facilities or senior homes. Elderly people, like many young people prefer to stay at their own home that is made up of treasured memories; they feel a sense of belonging at their own home than a senior home. In my culture caring for elderly people in their most difficult time of their lives is considered an honor and a blessing and an opportunity for great spiritual growth. In my culture it is not enough that we only check up on our elders like parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, but we act with limitless compassion, are kind, and are patient with them. We always try to remember that when we were helpless children, they were patient with us, gave us their love and preferred us to themselves. As a nurse, there are instances I forget the confines of the elderly and look at them with distrust and abhorrence, especially when I believe that they sometimes can be demanding, impatient, and rude. I must say that sometimes I also stereotype the elderly with my fellow coworkers...
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...inside. Soon, we met a lady – care taker of the home, she led us to an office where we were made to sit. Next to our room, we saw some 15-16 people all old aged; all were engaged in their daily activity. This centre started its activities in Dhaka in 1987 with the initiatives of a rich industrialist of the country. Later the centre was shifted to the outskirts of Dhaka city in a large area at Gazipur District in 1994 and Nobel Laureate Mother Teresa laid the founder stone of its planned rehabilitation centre of 5000 elderly people. At present it has two branches in two districts and a total number of 1500 elderly have full board accommodation with socio-cultural and geriatric facilities. It has large agricultural activities where the elderly participate in gardening, farming, pisi-culture and other related agricultural activities. It has representatives in all 460 sub-districts of the country who disseminate the information and collect poor, helpless elderly people for this centre. It has a different abandoned child and older prostitute rehabilitation activity. The center has future plan to establish ten old home in the Dhaka City with legal aids, geriatric, recreational and...
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...Physiotherapy: working hands on for elderly in residential care A perception of good health inevitably lies in the eyes of the beholder (Strain, LA 1993). While some strive to maintain their bodies in peak physical condition, health management for the elderly in residential care is treated otherwise. Years of labour and strain is evident in their physical appearance, however it is beneath all this which is key to the vitality of their lives. Physiotherapists, also referred to as physical therapists, are one profession working with the elderly to maintain a state of wellbeing for everyday activity and participation. Through prevention, strengthening and mobility, these fundamental areas in elderly conditioning have more than superficial benefits. Nurses, as well as doctors, occupational therapists and specialists, are also crucial to this client group, ensuring the best possible health is maintained. Physiotherapists are aptly equipped with the skills and knowledge to assess individual patients and prevent avoidable mishaps from occurring. Elderly people over the age of 65 are more likely to experience incidents such as falls due to arthritis, prescribed medications and general impairment (Tinetti, ME 2003). Exercise prescription programs can specifically target areas to achieve maximum range of movement and reduce these risk factors. Researchers at Yale School of Medicine found that falls among the elderly were reduced by 11 percent when clinicians incorporated management...
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