...Older Adults and Behavior Change Many older adults are aware of changes in their ability to remember new information, and most are not comfortable with that loss. Because older adults experience changes in cognition, specifically short-term memory, this would have to be a crucial consideration to teaching any training program. For example, if the training consists of six hour-long classes, once per week, after a week has passed, some amount of the training will have been lost. Aguilera, Dailey, & Perez (2008) suggest creating a shame-free environment for learning. Additionally, Green and Bavelier (2008) found older individuals have a difficult time transferring knowledge learned in one specific task to other similar tasks. For example, an individual may be taught to navigate a computer in a class, but when they go home, they may not be able to transfer and apply the knowledge to their computer. I am partial to Huang, Chen, Wu, Chen and Lin's (2002) idea to utilize short-term classes and long-term, in-home instruction. Huang et al., (2002) found the combination of home-based instruction over the long-term and short-term class instruction supports durable change, at least in health maintenance behaviors. For computer-related learning, a home-based class might be helpful, especially combined with classes. This might be easily accomplished with programs such as Team Viewer which allows an individual to manipulate a computer in a different location. I use this with my 84-year-old...
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...nature, with changes in memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language and judgement. Dementia is the most significant neurological disorder experienced by persons aged over 65 years. As expected, there is ‘cognitive loss’ with increased age. The cognitive assessment of older adults should entail expectations of decline due to age, mental health and other possible causes of deteorioration. The implication of cognitive change presents an issue with early-onset dementia and cognitive testing. This poses some difficulty for psychologists conducting cognitive assessments, due to the absence of a baseline measure of their previous abilities for comparison. Even if the assessment was conducted with the view of early intervention, practice effects are likely to be apparent. Any expected variation is likely due to psychological change or familiarity but deciphering between the two may pose a problem. Despite increased public awareness of the impact of dementia on people's lives, it is not always easy to establish an early diagnosis of dementia. Early identification and correct diagnosis of dementia is important for several reasons, including; Correct diagnosis is essential to rule out other conditions, such as delirium and depression, which may have similar features to dementia (Alzheimer's Australia, 2005). Salthouse, T & Saklofske, D. (2010). Do the WAIS-IV tests measure the same aspects of cognitive functioning in adults under and over...
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...STUDY GUIDE for C475 Care of Older Adult Objective Assessment Exam questions are taken from the Learning Objectives under the 9 Competencies: #1 Competency 742.1.1: Compassionate and Respectful Care of Older Adults The graduate integrates principles of compassion and respect for patients and their families into the planning and delivery of care to a diverse population of older adults and into advocacy for vulnerable older adults. This topic addresses the following learning objectives: * Recognize the impact of attitudes, values, and expectations about aging. * Describe how the RN’s personal beliefs and values may impact the care of older adults. * Articulate the concept of individualized care as the standard of practice with older adults, considering the right care, at the right time, in the right place and by the right provider of care. * Define Baby Boomers * What are the five racial groups listed in your text? * How would you perform discharge teaching to an Hispanic patient * Apply effective and respectful communication strategies in the care of older adults and their families. * List some of the changes of aging that could affect therapeutic communication * Note the ways to communicate or assist a patient with disabilities such as hearing deficits, vision impairments, or aphasia and dysarthria. Be familiar with the types of hearing devices. How should you address the older adult during therapeutic communication? ...
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...GUIDE for C475 Care of Older Adult Objective Assessment Exam questions are taken from the Learning Objectives under the 9 Competencies: #1 Competency 742.1.1: Compassionate and Respectful Care of Older Adults The graduate integrates principles of compassion and respect for patients and their families into the planning and delivery of care to a diverse population of older adults and into advocacy for vulnerable older adults. This topic addresses the following learning objectives: * Recognize the impact of attitudes, values, and expectations about aging. * Describe how the RN’s personal beliefs and values may impact the care of older adults. * Articulate the concept of individualized care as the standard of practice with older adults, considering the right care, at the right time, in the right place and by the right provider of care. * Define Baby Boomers (those born from 1946–1964) reach retirement age (as of 2011) A large group of people born between 1946 and 1964, in the time after the Second World War. * What are the five racial groups listed in your text? African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Asian, Hispanic, White * How would you perform discharge teaching to an Hispanic patient Teach the family as well because more than likely, pt is going home and family is his/her primary caregivers. * Apply effective and respectful communication strategies in the care of older adults and their families...
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...Throughout cognitive aging, older adults exhibit age related decline in aspects related to sensation perception, which can in turn affect their driving and completing certain tasks. Furthermore adults can experience some decline in their memory. However they had a positive and stable emotional memory along with the ability to regulate their emotions when compared to younger adults. Lastly older adults also experience changes in attention. This paper will examine the decline and stability of a variety of facets that relate to cognitive aging. Older adults ability to register sensory input is vital to their overall cognitive abilities. The relationship that exists between sensation and cognition can be a reflection of the individual’s overall...
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...and older adults; How older people express intimacy. Scholars believe that sexual intimacy improves the quality of life. Thus, People in their adult life deserve the right to sexual fulfillment; yet, the expression in sexuality and intimacy changes in response to age. Research has shown that there are many barriers to intimacy in elderly population. The barriers are usually created as a result of the myths about sexuality and older adults. Many relate the sexual intimacy barriers of older adults to health and argue that there is a relationship between sexuality and health. However, this paper argues that the physical and pathological changes in elderly should not be associated with the opportunity to enjoy and express sexual intimacy. This paper first briefly reviews the physical and physiological and environmental factors that influence the sexual expression of older adults. The paper then argues that older people can only express intimacy when they accept their feelings, values and attitudes toward sexuality. Finally, educational intervention on attitudes toward sexuality can help older adults express intimacy. The physical factors that influence the sexual expression of older adults are usually health related. Data suggest that approximately one quarter of elderly adult living in USA live with disability or illness that limits them from healthy sexual life and intimacy (Deacon, 1995). In other words, having poor health status can create barriers for older adults to remain...
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...client’s characteristics that affect therapy outcome. Psychotherapy and Older Adults Resource Guide Introduction Since about 1990, changes in the Medicare reimbursement system have allowed psychologists to provide services to older adults with Medicare coverage. These changes, in combination with managed care and market place changes have made older adult clients attractive as a client population to increasing numbers of psychologists and other mental health service providers. As the Baby Boomers become older adults over the next several years, one can expect both the need and the demand for mental health services to increase: Need is likely to change because Boomers have higher prevalence of depression and other mental disorders than do the GI Generation and Depression era cohorts; Demand may change because Boomers have typically been psychologically minded and relatively high consumers of mental health services. Key questions in thinking about working with older adults concern whether psychological interventions can be expected to work with older adults. If they work, are adaptations from work with younger adults necessary? In this resource page, research bearing on both of these questions is summarized. Does therapy work with older adults? Before turning to psychological interventions, which are the main focus of this resource guide, it should be noted that psychological assessment with older adults is more specialized than are interventions. The higher prevalence of the...
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...Presentation of Illness in Older Adults 2 An atypical presentation of an illness in an older adult can appear as a subtle, nonspecific, or unusual manifestation that is outside the normal range of signs and symptoms for a specific illness. Nursing care of an older adult requires a through assessment of acute, chronic or complex illnesses. Illness in older adults is complicated by numerous medical problems and the physical changes of aging. Identification of an illness can be overlooked simply because symptoms might be reported vaguely. Multiple overlapping factors such as environmental, sociologic, physiologic and psychologic aspects need to be considered in the nursing assessment. It’s essential that nurses recognize atypical presentations of illness in older adults early to help improve patient care. Early detection can reduce the risk of missed diagnoses, death and/or prolonged hospitalization, and reduce rates of co-morbidity from treatable geriatric syndromes (GrayMiceli, 2007). Aging causes physiologic changes to the body. These normal age related changes could be similar to changes seen in the presence of pathological conditions. This causes a problem when normal changes mask early signs of an acute illness. Changes to the musculoskeletal system can affect a patient’s ability to function. Reduced bone mineral density leads to osteoporosis and an increased risk for fall-related fractures (Ebersole, Hess, Touhy, & Jett 2012, p. 48-49). Age related changes to the cardiovascular...
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...adulthood to the potential client’s family. Some issues that will be addressed are the changes in role and social position during this stage. One will also compare living accommodation such as accessibility and the need for health care. Also one will illustrate the adjustment and transition from work to retirement. What changes occur in marriage, family, and peer relationships? Lastly one will identify social policies that affect the older adult. The older adults face several problems. In our society they have a role less role. It is important to find a role for older adults. Some older adults are encouraged to be productive and work in order to change perceptions. There are stereotypes that they face by society in which they end up being dependent, inactive, and unfulfilled. Those who want to work can work either full-time or part-time even past the ages of 65 or 70. For those who are retired can be the role of a consultant with the expertise and knowledge they have in specific areas. Programs are also brought up in order to help older adults find hobbies, interests, and sources of income. If older adults worked longer, they would combat the stereotypes and also continue to contribute to society. This also brings a higher self-esteem to them and continue being physically and mentally active. Instead of taking social security, older adults would be paying into it. The main goal is to keep the older adults contributing to society whether as volunteers or in the working area. How are...
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...Aging Population on the Health Workforce in the United States The expected growth of the older adult population1 in the U.S. over the next 50 years will have an unprecedented impact on the U.S. health care system, especially in terms of supply of and demand for health care workers. The supply of health care workers may decrease as they age and large numbers retire and/or reduce their working hours. At the same time, older adults consume a disproportionately large share of American health care services, so demand for health services will grow. The aging of the population will also affect the nature of the skills and services the health care workforce must be equipped to provide, and the settings in which this care is provided. The so-called “baby boom” generation (people born between 1946 and 1964) is already having an effect on the health care system and it is expected to grow as the century progresses. The number of Americans age 65 and older (35 million in 2000) will rise by more than 19 million to 54 million by 2020. From 2000 to 2050, the number of older adults will increase from 12.5% to 20% of the U.S. population. The New York Center for Health Workforce Studies at the SUNY School of Public Health recently completed a report that assesses the implications of the aging of the population on the supply and demand for a variety of health professionals needed to serve older adults. The report, which was funded by the National Center for...
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...very common with older adults living in the community and long-term care facilities. The purpose of this paper is to research an issue, in this case falls, that impacts the healthy aging of older adults living in the community. This paper will discuss why this topic is important to healthy aging, what the nurse’s role is and what some interventions are to try and lower the rate and risk of falls that the older adult experiences. Falls can have a devastating effect on the older adult and it is important to do everything possible to try and make sure this does not happen. As one ages, his/her bones and muscles may begin to atrophy and his/her gait changes which can all increase his/her risk for a fall. It is important because having a fall and possibly an injury could completely change how an older adult lives his/her life. There are many statistics on how prevalent falls are in the society of today’s older adult. According to the Canadian Institute of Health Research (2005), “among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma” (as cited in Theris, Kathleen, Veronique and Lynn, 2012, p. 188). Also, according to Manitoba Health (2005), older adults, those over the age of 65, have a nine times greater chance of a fall injury than those who are not (as cited in Butler-Jones, 2009). According to Cumming (2000), falls do not only have a physical effect on an older adult, they can also...
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...The rapid growth in the number of older Americans has many implications for public health, including the need to better understand the risks posed to older adults by environmental exposures. Biologic capacity declines with normal aging; this may be exacerbated in individuals with pre-existing health conditions. This decline can result in compromised pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses to environmental exposures encountered in daily activities. In recognition of this issue, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a research agenda on the environment and older adults. The U.S. EPA proposes to apply an environmental public health paradigm to better understand the relationships between external pollution sources → human exposures → internal dose → early biologic effect → adverse health effects for older adults. The initial challenge will be using information about aging-related changes in exposure, pharmacokinetic, and pharmacodynamic factors to identify susceptible subgroups within the diverse population of older adults. These changes may interact with specific diseases of aging or medications used to treat these conditions. Constructs such as “frailty” may help to capture some of the diversity in the older adult population. Data are needed regarding a) behavior/activity patterns and exposure to the pollutants in the microenvironments of older adults; b) changes in absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion with aging; c) alterations in reserve...
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...The Elder Project video is about seven diverse older adults that try to accomplish their daily activities while facing the physical and mental decline of aging. The elders have a desire to be independent and have control over their lives. The purpose of this post is to discuss what wellness within chronic illness means to me, the consequences of pain in the older adult, and age-related changes that affect psychological and cognitive functioning. Wellness within chronic illness means that you are able to do your daily activities to the best of your ability while suffering a chronic illness. When you are not able to your daily routines anymore because of an illness, you can become depressed. It is important for the elderly to do as much as they...
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...October-December 2010. Author Affiliations C.M. Aldwin is Professor, Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, Oregon State University, Manoa. L.A. Yancura is Associate Professor, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Hawai'i, Manoa. Abstract Although older adults are thought to experience more stress and to be more vulnerable to its adverse effects, they often report less stress than younger adults and sometimes show more resilience. Paradoxically, while stress sometimes has long-term positive effects on well-being, studies differ as to whether this increases or decreases with age. We conclude that older individuals have learned to appraise and cope differently with stress. This protects them in spite of their increased physiological vulnerability and may also increase the possibility of stress-related growth and optimal aging. Full Text [View Enlargement] As people age their health trajectories tend to diverge, with some developing multiple chronic conditions and others maintaining good health; stress may play a role in this aspect of aging. Over the past century, remarkable changes have occurred in the life expectancy and quality of life of older adults. Individuals born in the United States in 1900 had an average life expectancy of 47.3 years; those born in 2004 are expected to live 77.8 years on average (NCHS 2006). Life expectancy projections for residents of...
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...Later Adulthood Development Report Adults that are faced with the transition between adulthood and later adulthood, reaching their “golden years”, are faced with social, physical and mental changes. These changes affect them in every area of their lives. Moving from adult to the category of “senior citizen”, can be a difficult transition for many people. The age of 65 has usually been cited as the dividing line between middle age and old age (Santrock, 2008). It is during this crucial age that people will begin to experience life changes, it is important to note that there are resources, tools that can be used to make this transition easier for both the client and the family. There is a very permanent stereotype that assumes that because a person is reaching older age, they are in both physical and metal decline. This is not necessarily true, as there are people that can live independently well into later adulthood, without ongoing medical care or supervision. Older adults will be subject to discrimination by others, especially in the workforce, they are deemed to be slower and with dwindling critical thinking capabilities, this stereotype perpetuates discrimination in the workforce. Aging adults can also fall victim to increased levels of crime. Others may take advantage of them, as they, along with children, are some of the most vulnerable in our community. There is another set of aging adults who are under difficult circumstance and do need extra help and assistance in...
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