Health Risks In Older Adults

The Elderly and Chronic Diseases Introduction Chronic disease and conditions are usually defined as those diseases which last for more than six months and which have a severe effect on the life of the individuals (Chronic Conditions and Injury, para.1). While chronic diseases can affect people of all ages and demographics, these types of diseases are very often found in the elderly. Chronic disease are also characterized by "…multiple risk factors, long latency periods, a prolonged course of illness and functional impairment or disability" (Key indicators of progress for chronic disease and associated determinants, 2011, p. 1). Chronic disease is also found to be more prevalent in the ageing demographic of most countries.

Vulnerable population means a group of population that at greater risk of developing health problems due to their less awareness, availability, and access to needed resources to fulfill their healthy wellbeing requirements. Elderly population, pregnant women, homeless person, population with suicide or homicide prone behavior, substance abuser, persons living with

The well-being and safety of your aging loved one is important to you. Since you cannot be with them every day, you want to make sure they are receiving the best care possible. Although, you know that your senior loved one needs assistance at home they might not be as open to the decision. There are things that you can do to communicate your worries and concerns with your aging senior.

Life changes that an older adult face includes but not limited to: Physical changes, mental changes, cultural and environmental changes. These changes can make it hard for an older person to seek help due to independence, and stubbornness. Depending on the change it can cause trust issues and fear in them.

As this video illustrates, eating a well-balanced diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type two diabetes. If your loved one already has a chronic disease, then elderly in home care can help your loved one better manage the symptoms. For example, senior care can help reduce high blood pressure, lower cholesterol and manage diabetes. Senior care can also help your loved one learn to eat better,

Many older people experience problems in daily living. For example, people with dementia can include forgetfulness and limited social skills. Specially when a person is living alone it could be very difficult to their ability to perform self-care. Having trouble performing self-care is a common reason why older people seek for a caregiver to assist them and move to assisted living communities, or entering a nursing homes.

Problems Older Adults Face Older adults are at a stage in life where they have to come to terms with their “inevitable decline” (Gladding, pg. 301). Older adults may suffer from “loneliness, fear and loss” (Gladding, pg. 302). They have been facing “chronic health problems that require increased attention” (Gladding, pg. 302). Many older people have difficulty transitioning to a “retirement lifestyle and long for their professional roles” (302). Many elderly also experience “limited socialization and interpersonal activities” (Gladding, pg. 303). Depression “affects 121 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of disability” (Pépin, Guérette, Lefebvre & Jacques, pg. 117).

It is very important to take good care of the health older patients. The most important aspect will be to prevent diseases and complications. By having an organization or a clinic in which the patient could have good disease

The geriatric population is a very vulnerable population, which needs great care. The main concerns are attributed to the age, educational background, medication experiences, living conditions and diet. All these contribute to factors which make it difficult to be adherent to their goals, which have been developed to improve their health.

Health care will be needed more in the older population than any other. The old age is growing continuously. There are more of the older adults today than babies. Older adults are more likely to have a long-term illness. During the 80’s the government said they were no longer able to pay for health care. This resulted in eligibility and limits in paying off the payments. If limits continue to be present, this can result in the poor and older people to face untreated illnesses and have a higher risk of death. Physicians are mainly trained to watch over the youth meaning the less interest in helping the older adults. The older population will be neglected and can be mis-diagnosed. Those who also have lack of transportation will also end up with inadequate care.

Normal aging is a gradual decline in certain processes (Gladyshev, & Gladyshev, 2016). The decline is not static and can be increased or reduced depending on choices made (Gladyshev, & Gladyshev, 2016). Changes commonly attributed to aging include declines in the five senses, most organ systems, appearance and brain function (Tully, 2016). The five senses include reduction in taste buds, smell, ability to hear high frequency sounds and speech discrimination, reduced ability to see in the dark and a reduction in tactile sensory (Tully, 2016). In the organ systems there is a reduction in the hearts response to work, bone mass, skin turgor, vital capacity in the lungs, renal and colon function (Tully, 2016). Most notable is the age-related changes

As people age they develop many special needs related to the later period of life. Many elderly people have specific physical needs where adaptations to their home are necessary or where they need specific equipment for self care. Old age also brings new emotional challenges for the elderly person when

Introduction Several aspects of aging can be debilitating for the elderly population, as they often include loneliness, general decline, and lack of social support (Anisman, 2014). The senior population, already at large, is projected to surpass that of other age groups and increase the burden on our health care system. Only a small proportion of individuals age successfully, with the majority experiencing a spectrum of cognitive impairments that can manifest into neurodegenerative disorders. This is due to a broad range of factors, including genetic and environmental determinants that ultimately shape the aging process. The hippocampus, a subcortical brain region, is responsible for mediating memory consolidation, spatial navigation, and to some extent learning (Kolb and Whishaw, 2013). It is particularly impaired in old individuals and the focus of numerous experiments aimed at delaying degeneration or alternatively enhancing neurogenesis. This limbic structure is readily influenced by the stress response, namely the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis (Kolb and Whishaw, 2013). Aged individuals tend to exhibit elevated levels of corticosteroids, which promote hippocampal deterioration (Cameron and McKay, 1999). A specific region within the hippocampus, the dentate gyrus, is unique in that it not only succumbs to such effects but continues to undergo neurogenesis (Cameron and McKay, 1999). However, the rate of neurogenesis is reduced if not inhibited in old

Age Related Challenges As people grow older, they develop dental problems which lead to nutritional intake issues. Cognitive function declines affecting memory, decision making, conversing, and problem solving. In addition, falls can occur with mental status disturbances. Lack of social interaction, depression, and anxiety also crop up in the elderly. Sleep patterns are altered by restless legs, snoring, and disrupted breathing sequences. At times, pain can be constant from arthritis, osteoarthritis, or other medical issues (Tabloski, 2014).

Our bodies experience many changes as we age. The body can develop depending on a person’s genetic pattern of aging. Also, the choices you make in life can have a more deeper impact on your bodily changes as well. These changes can also be mental or physical. Because of the aging body, older adults may use medication to maintain the liability of their functions and abilities due to aging. Many elderly adults may be unaware of the physical changes caused by drug usage and their bodies may become tolerant to the medications. There can be ways to monitor medication with older adults. Our cognition changes as we age. We tend to react differently to certain life situations and the information that we input in our brains are in a more complex process.