Elderly Populations Case Study

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern that greatly affects the elderly population. Osteoporosis is typically diagnosed and most prevalent in the older population due to the natural aging process. As one ages, bone integrity begins to decline and can influence many aspects of one’s life. As the prevalence continues to increase, focus is placed not only on treatment methods for those diagnosed, but also early prevention methods for those at an early age.1 These treatment and prevention methods of osteoporosis, specifically exercise testing and prescription, will be continue to be discussed in more detail, as well as the scope, pathophysiology, clinical considerations, and recent topics in research.

Osteoporosis is the most common disease of the bone and the incidence of this condition is rising. Osteoporosis is estimated to effect 3 million people in the UK. A decreasing bone density in patient, especially in those above the age of 50, leads to bones becoming weak and therefore, there is an increased likelihood of fragility fractures. This condition is preventable and treatable however, it is often left undiagnosed and therefore, has major cost implications on the NHS. (National Osteoporosis Society, 2013a)

Chronic diseases are a significant and growing challenge in Canada. They are the leading cause of death, disability and account for about two thirds of the overall burden of disease (1). According to the Canadian Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada for 2009, one in four Canadians had at least two concurrent chronic conditions (2). In 2011, approximately 5 million Canadians were 65 years of age or older accounting for 15% of the total population (3). Improvements in survival and an aging population contribute to the increasing

In deciding how to treat the issue of the eldercare facility bankruptcy information, it has been determined that Grass Man has an error in his previously issued financial statements due to the timing of available information. One might argue that an error in estimation would be appropriate; however the bankruptcy of the Eldercare Facility was not new information, but rather an, “… oversight or misuse of facts that existed at the time the financial statements were prepared.” ASC 250-10-20 [Emphasis added]

Osteoporosis is a disease that is continuing to increase in numbers; as a result, the cost of care for individuals with the disease is also increasing. In 2005, seventeen billion dollars were spent to care for osteoporosis injuries. It is projected by 2050 that individuals over sixty-five years of age will increase from thirty-two million to sixty-nine million in the United States (AACE, 2010). Therefore more individuals will develop osteoporosis with age. From 2005 to 2025, with increasing age, estimated costs are expected to rise from seventeen billion dollars to twenty-five billion dollars (AACE, 2010). With outstanding projected figures, efforts to reverse the economical stance are focused on screenings, prevention, diagnosing,

According to Osteoporosis (2011) “United States has the highest rate in the world in cases of osteoporosis. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) estimates that 10 million people (8 million women and 2 million men) in the United States have osteoporosis as of 2012” (Page 10).

Nearly 55 million Americans are estimated to have osteoporosis, making it one of the most common diseases among American seniors. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 50 percent of women and 25 percent of men over the age of 50 will end up a broken bone as a result of osteoporosis. In fact, according to May Clinic,

In this discussion post, I will address why I believe the older population are categorized as vulnerable, what puts them at risk and what can be done to eliminate some of the risk. Personally, I believe the older population are vulnerable to many different facets which put them at risk. These facets include; dementia, cognitive and sensory impairments, abuse and neglect, inadequate living conditions, and malnutrition (Culo, 2011).

Osteoporosis is a devastating disease that causes deterioration of bone tissue and an increased risk of bone fractures. It is a major public health problem, affecting millions of elderly over age sixty-five. The disease is one of the most costly costing fourteen billion dollars a year in U.S. health expenditures. Osteoporosis is primarily thought of as a woman's disease, it affects over two million men annually. While there are less fragile fractures in men, if they do fracture, men are more likely to die from it. Today the lack of awareness for male osteoporosis is where it was for women fifty years ago. This is a frightening fact as the lifetime risk for osteoporosis is higher than that of prostate

Ageing is becoming a priority issue in Canada, and healthcare systems are investing large amount of money to enhance the quality of life for baby boomers. The present life expectancy in Canada has reached 80.9 years (Public Health Agency, 2011). According to this estimation, older adults will make up to 18% of the total population by 2021; an equivalent to 6.7 million people. (Rivard & Buchanan, 2006; Smith, 2012). This data highlights the probability of problems that can be caused due to the increased ratio of dependent population which are an older adults. Physiological changes associated with an aging make older adults more reliant on health care services for the treatments and better quality of life while ageing. It is estimated that 74-90% of older adults struggle with at least one chronic condition in Canada (Smith, 2012). The accompanying cost with these diseases are $ 190 billion out of which $ 90 billion is goes directly toward treatment measures (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011). As a result, the healthcare system is facing many complex challenges relating to improving quality of life for baby boomers and lowering health care costs.

It is reported that in the USA more than 53 million people either already have Osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone mass. Osteoporosis is known as the “silent killer” and can cause a physical and financial toll on families. Elder people have the highest potential to be hospitalized and placed into nursing homes due to the result of a fracture. With increase age can cause longer healing time, also dependent upon where the fracture is. Osteoporosis is when the body loses bone density due to old age (in women post-menopausal). The body goes through many changes and of those changes your bones become brittle and weak.

Our population is aging and living longer. More than 4.7 million Canadians are 65 or older and developing chronic conditions and diseases and, along with aging, poor lifestyle choices are leading to increases in chronic diseases such as arthritis and diabetes (National Expert Commission, 2012). There will be increased focus on chronic disease management and health promotion with the goal of improving the individual’s quality of life and allowing them to stay in their own homes longer. This change will reduce healthcare costs by decreasing the need for institutional care (CNA update 2012) but

The population within Canada is aging and we are living longer than we have in the past. According to Statistics Canada (2012), from 1920-1922, a man’s average lifespan was 59 years of age and a woman’s average lifespan was 61 years of age; in 2012, this has now increased to 79 for men and 83 for women. This increasing lifespan has created a new frontier in the health and wellbeing of the elderly as it has resulted in a consequent increase in complex health care needs of elderly people with Frailty Syndrome. Fried et al. (2005) identify Frailty Syndrome as elderly individuals “meeting three out of five phenotypic criteria indicating compromised energetics: low grip strength, low energy, slowed walking speed, low physical activity, and/or

Since, I was apart of a group advocating for elder population, in need of mental health and healthcare services. I wanted to help decide what services that would benefit this populations and how the agency would be structural and funded. I planned on advocating for this population once I finish graduate school and obtain my licenses.

Physical fitness has two main classifications-performance related and health related. People have different performance related requirements in accordance with their occupation but all people have the same health related requirements (The World). Then there are two types of exercise that helps tone a person’s body while increasing its endurance. These are aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic exercise is exercise that uses the muscles and bones. Cardio activities are a good example of this, such as running or biking. This type of exercise increases the strength of a person’s heart and boosts their lung capacity. Anaerobic exercise is an intense but short amount of exercise (Payment). Since it is only for a brief amount of time, it does not require the amount of oxygen aerobic exercise does. Instead it uses glycogen which comes from the sugar in a person’s blood. An example of this exercise is weight lifting or sprinting. A person’s requires both anaerobic and aerobic exercise for good health. Simply doing a cardio work out is not healthy, and for a person to see real results there must be some activity like weight lifting (“Anaerobic”).