The Adolescent Depression Scale, The Geriatric Pain Assessment Tool

Assessment tools are used in the care planning process to build up a holistic picture of an individual’s needs. When all the details have been recorded an assessment can be made and suitable care and support can be identified. A few of the assessment tools are information from the individual such as diaries, observations, medical histories and checklists.

Many elderly and their family cannot determine what are normal aging and what are not; therefore, educating them is the key role for nurses to promote safety and health for older adults. Not only assessing physical changes but also mental health assessment is important because those age-related physical changes may cause depression in older adults, which leads to other problems like “difficulty with sleeping,

Advancing age is associated with a higher prevalence of both acute and chronic disease and an increasing risk of becoming functionally dependent. Roughly, 5.3% of adults between the ages of 65 and 75 require assistance with basic activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, walking, use of the toilet, and transferring from bed to chair). Slightly fewer than 6% require assistance with instrumental activities of daily living (cooking, shopping, use of the telephone, household chores, and handling household financial matters). Functional dependence greatly increases the need for both acute and chronic health care and amplifies the risk of institutionalization. A number of excellent reviews address problems and issues in assessment of older

Although depression is a common disorder in the elderly, but in many cases does not detect it does not address. The reason behind it to explain some of the doctors, as well as those who sponsored a large age, the symptoms of depression as normal symptoms caused by advanced age. Moreover, the signs and symptoms of depression in the elderly vary, to some extent, what is the case with other age groups.

The aging of the population is a worldwide phenomenon. Since older people are living longer than ever before there are more cases of disability and also dependency. They are more at risk of losing the autonomy to carry on daily activities (Abad-Corpa et al., 2012). Administering beneficial and respectful care can be challenging. As elderly are primary clients in healthcare with frequent readmissions, declined functioning, and exacerbation of chronic diseases it is not a surprise that they often feel as a burden to their families and caregivers. Care challenges include not only making appropriate decisions about treatments and medical care, but also how to utilize the required financial and human

Review of an Article II “Development and Validation of a Geriatric Depression Screening Scale: A Preliminary Report”

The old adage that age is a bliss may not be necessarily true in light of the complexities that the elderly face in their old age. Fundamentally, the elderly tend to experience a range of changes in their bodies as they age. From the onset of menopause to the rest of the person’s life, the elderly continually experience changes in their bodies. Some of these changes cause them to be increasingly irritable while others cause them to develop some depression related ailments. The elderly tend to be frail in their musculoskeletal structures as their joints start wearing out, thereby causing them to develop osteoporosis. One may not adequately comprehend the extent to which these changes impact the elderly’s life until a face-to-face interaction

Older adults is defined here as any persons over the age of 65. Recent estimates indicate that from eight to 20% of community dwelling older adults experience depression, as do 17%-35% of primary care patients (Gallo & Lebowitz, 1999). Here depression is defined and measured as either a clinical syndrome or as a set of depressive symptoms. Clinical syndrome refers to an individuals symptoms being present for two or more consecutive weeks and displaying at least five symptoms, as well as having a change from usual function. Depressive symptoms as defined in the DSM IV (2000)

Though depression and anxiety are common throughout the life cycle; depression and older age have commonly been associated with one another (Mulsant, 1998). Unfortunately, many elderly people are not satisfied and look at this stage as depressing. After years of planning, dreaming, and expecting the golden years to be the highlight of one 's life, the increased number of stressors related to aging causes feelings of depression.

As older adults age, their physical, psychological, social, and economic circumstances continue to change—sometimes more rapidly than when they were younger. These changes influence how both temporary illnesses and chronic diseases manifest in older adults. In other words, the health care needs of older adults differ significantly from those of younger adults. This diversity of health care needs among older adults means they need specialized types of care: geriatrics and, the focus of this course, gerontology. While some people confuse the terms and use them interchangeably, geriatrics and gerontology are two different disciplines, though both have a similar focus on caring for older adults.

Sometimes patients do not realize they have anxiety and depression. According to Haws, "Some patients may report a feeling of low mood, or partners or families may observe it and raise their own concerns. Important symptoms include feelings of a lack of interest or pleasure in activities, or sleep disturbances. Impaired concentration or general fatigue is also common" (Haws). To know if a person has depression or anxiety, this study used the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. In order to identify those patients who needed help, they ask these two questions, "During the last month, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed or hopeless?" and "During the last month, have you often been bothered by having little

She answered all the questions without showing any signs of depression, she is satisfied with her life because her family and friends are always there for her. She also does several activities she finds enjoyable, keeping her motivated. The first question of this interview reminds her of when she was a nurse helping the social worker in the interviews at the nursing home. She occasionally forgets people’s names, but she knows that this is normal as one ages. She also said that she usually has a lot of energy for her age. The Geriatric Depression Scale categorizes her correctly because she seems to be healthy and enjoying her

Assessment is the accurate collection of comprehensive data pertinent to the patient’s health or the situation (“American Nurses Association,” 2010). Assessment is the first step in the nursing process and the most important. Assessment is the accurate collection of the patient’s health date

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 the family can be useful in helping to meet the persons mental health needs. Senior citizens experience needs in their social life; they also experience the need for activities with other seniors. Health needs also negatively affect the elderly and cause multiple physical problems. Every elderly person experiences needs that are related to each of these areas.

There are various factors that may contribute to one’s quality of life. However, many older adults struggle with their well being and this is just as important as the quality of their life. When evaluating an older adult, one must take into consideration the following factors: the individual’s acute and/or chronic illnesses; medications currently taking; functional status; mental health and cognitive abilities; and their living situation. Gathering this information is based on the individual’s medical history as well as their social history. However, the goal is to make recommendations to improve the quality of life for the individual as one sees applies.