End Of Life Care: Immune System

As young adults, many of us may feel immune from ailments typically associated with the elderly. However, injuries can be unexpected, my cousin had a stroke at the age of 23. She assumed her headaches, the fuzzy feeling in her eyes, the numbness on her left side and her heart palpitations were due to fatigue. When she tried to get up

As we grow older our bodies begin to degenerate, and stop working. There are many different kinds of diseases that we are subject to as we age, cancers, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and many others. All have a negative affect on our lives, making it difficult to function. Arthritis is the second leading chronic disease in the United States.

Diabetes: Type two diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes is a chronic that lowers the immune system and can increase risk of stroke, heart disease and other circulatory problems. Wounds take longer to heal and respiratory infections like pneumonia often are more severe.

In reviewing the two studies I found, it is very clear there is a difference in quantitative and qualitative studies. To start, Lee et al. (2017) conducted a qualitative study in which the problem statement recognizes that end of life care (EOLC) in dementia patients is less than optimal when compared to cancer patients. The researchers aimed to determine what service managers and frontline staff at different facilities felt were the key aspects in improving EOLC in dementia patients (Lee et al., 2017). As a result, the researchers purpose was to contribute to the current evidence base on good EOLC and interventions to increase quality of care of end of life dementia patients.

As you begin to get older your muscles within your digestive tract can start to become really weak and would possibly start giving you the risk of having a lot of constipation. Also as you get older your heart is beginning to get less efficient and would not be able to pump the blood around your body like what it used to have done. Also the other things that could happen to your organs as you begin to get older are

As we age, our brain and nervous system go through natural changes. An aging adult may experience memory loss, decreased touch sensation, change in the perception of pain, change in sleep pattern, decreased coordination and increased risk for infection (Ignatavicius, 2013, p. 912) .

The immune system weakens with age, which makes seniors more susceptible to contracting seasonal influenza. Over ninety percent of deaths from the flu happen to those over 65 years of age. Seniors have the option of getting the regular flu vaccine or a higher-dose shot that results in a stronger immune response.

If they were to get sick they wouldn’t have no way to take care of them so they would die or they would have a hard time surviving.

There are physiological changes that occur within all systems of the elderly. These changes provide challenges to providing quality care. The following is an example from each of the systems. The integumentary system has a decrease in subcutaneous fat, this increases the potential for decubitus ulcers. The musculoskeletal system has a decrease in bone density, which can contribute to falls. Diminished deep sleep develops due to changes in the neurologic system. This may result in weight fluctuations resulting from changes in appetite. The cardiovascular system causes a decrease in arterial compliance, resulting in increased risk of tachyarrhythmias. The Immune system has a decrease in immune response, resulting in the potential for delayed or incomplete healing. The respiratory system suffers from decreased

Elderly people physically slow down and have lower energy levels. There are changes in the body systems and organs that can usually result in all types of

Most aging adults do not receive the necessary preventive services to help promote health and wellness during this stage of life. These preventive services include vaccinations and screenings. These important services help detect many diseases, delay their onset, or identify them early in their most treatable stages to ensure healthier, longer, and more productive lives for older adults (Prevention, 2011). Better people take care of themselves the longer they will live. People who balance: the right diet, making better choices and not acting sedentary has a better chance in living longer lives.

adults older patients are more frail and they have more complex health issues causing them to

Aging impacts both the thermoregulation and the immune system. The geriatric population has lower body temperatures and dysregulated thermoregulation. It is hypothesized that these mechanisms are effected with aging due to decreased subcutaneous tissue, which mean this tissue cannot perform as an insulator. Vasoconstriction does not work adequately and diminished cardiac output can diminish peripheral blood flow. Fevers in the elderly often present atypically. This indicated that in the elderly population, a fever may not occur at all or will be 20 to 20 percent lower than in a younger individual. If an elderly patient presents with a higher temperature, it may be indicative that the patient has a severe infection and this should be taken quite

Aging is associated with diminished immunity. Macrophages, which play a pivotal role in the first line defense of pathogen invasion, have their endocytosis and lysosomal action delayed as people age. The capacity therefore of alveolar macrophages to kill mycobacterium tuberculosis is significantly compromised in aging populations. DM, tends to lower a persons’ immunity as evident in many studies [Nuria et al], hence, the hypothesis of this study was that there prevalence of DM is high amongst TB patients and there is increased risk of drug resistant TB with age among diabetic patients.

Diseases can result in an immune system leading you to death. What causes weak immune systems are immunodeficiencies, overactive immune responses, asthma, etc. For example HIV targets T cells and that allows it to infect certain parts. Some more diseases that can lead your system into failure are vitiligo, multiple sclerosis, Graves disease,etc. Many things can affect the body in many ways. EVen the smallest things in your body can cause something