The Mortality Of Older Adults

More people are living much longer lives than in years past. People are very surprised to be living much longer lives than they thought they would. Health care has played a large part in patient longevity. There are many normal changes that come along with aging, however, because people are living longer these normal changes can become chronic problems. Common aging problems that can make the older adult a vulnerable population are reviewed in Gerontological Nursing (Tabloski, 2014) and can include nutritional needs, medication management, sleep changes, oral or mouth care, renal problems and musculoskeletal concerns. According to A Profile of Older Americans: 2013 (http://www.hhs.gov), there are a large amount

As a person ages, theirs body cannot perform the way it used to. This will cause many elderly people to loose their job or choose to go into retirement. Both of these options cause a loss in health care as well and a reduced or exterminated income. Here alone lies a reason that the elderly population is challenged. The elderly population also has a tendency to develop a chronic illness that can be life threatening if not treated or controlled properly. This means that need for health care treatments also increases. At least 40% of those over age 65 will have nutrition-related health problems requiring treatment or management (Gigante, 2012). It is important to realize that 10% of people over the age of 65 and will develop Alzheimer’s disease and 50% of those over the age of 85 will develop this disease (Gigante, 2012). More elderly African American men and women use government aid than white men and women. Therefore, this population will be vulnerable because of the lack of funding, proper health care and insurance.

The elderly population is growing with 35 million people who are age 65 years or older and half are between the ages of 65 to 74 and the other half are over the age of 75. The population age 85 years or older are the fastest growing population (Dubow, 2017). In 1991 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reported that 8 out of 10 people over the age of 60 had one or more chronic diseases or impairments which included arthritis, hypertension, hearing impairment, heart disease, cataracts, deformity or orthopedic impairment, chronic sinusitis,

Discuss the implications for aging individuals and aging societies of (1) increasing life expectancy, and (2) increasing numbers of older persons living with chronic conditions such as diabetes and Alzheimer's disease.

Disability among older U.S. adults, as measured by limitations in instrumental activities of daily living, has declined since the early 1980s. Disability also is measured by limitations in activities of daily living (ADL), a common factor leading to the need for long-term care. Recent studies using ADL measures have shown varied trends in disability. The world has experienced a gradual demographic transition from patterns of high fertility and high mortality rates to low fertility and delayed mortality. The transition begins with declining infant and childhood mortality, in part because of effective public health measures. Lower childhood mortality contributes initially to a longer life expectancy and a younger population. Declines in fertility rates generally follow, and improvements in adult health lead to an older population. As a result of demographic transitions, the shape of the global age distribution is changing. By 1990, the age distribution in developed countries represented similar proportions of younger and older persons. For developing countries, age distribution is projected to have similar proportions by 2030. By 2030, the number of U.S. adults aged 65 or older will more than double to about 71 million. The rapidly increasing number of older Americans has far-reaching implications for our nation's public health system and will place unprecedented demands on the

With the advances in medical care, better health practices, improved nutrition, and other factors help people live longer. As long as older adults are following the correct measures, they can help counter the effects of aging because this stage here most people retire, they need to stay active and keep eating healthy foods. By not living actively can lead to his or her body shutting down, and may also lead to an early death. Many programs are available that older adults can join to

Growth and development is an essential part of the life cycle, which leads to the occurrence of different phases like childhood, teenage and late adulthood. Aging is the period which is characterized by the onset of personal, cognitive and social changes. They feel hard to adjust the changes. Like rest of the world, the US also falls in the list of countries which have the highest population of elderly people. According to the Population Reference Bureau report, Americans ages 65 and older has projected to increase more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060, and the 65-and-older age group’s share of the total population will rise to nearly 24 percent from 15 percent (Mark Mather). The

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.

When aging statistics are looked upon in a positive light, it shows that 90-94% of people aged 65 or older and 70% of people aged 85 years or older are unlikely to experience the effects of dementia (Chapman et al 2). This means that the majority of seniors will remain present in their minds and have the ability to function cognitively equal to anyone else. In addition, recent research reveals “[t]he effects of the aging process itself have been exaggerated, and the modifying effects of diet, exercise, personal habits, and psychosocial factors underestimated” (Rowe and Kahn 143). Older adults who practice a healthy lifestyle, remain active and involved in their community, significantly lower

In Rethinking Age and Aging, by Warren Sanderson and Sergei Scherbov, the concept of life-expectancy changing the meaning of age is explored in great detail. As quality of life and life expectancy improve, the ability of people to maintain certain lifestyles for longer grows. This ability is changing how society manages questions of age, with regards to social policy and age-specific benefits.

As individuals age changes occur physiologically that are part of normal aging. These changes occur in all organ systems and can impact an individual’s quality of life. The changes related to aging can be attributed to an individual’s genetic make up, lifestyle, physical activity, and dietary lifestyle. Being able to differentiate between normal changes in aging against disease process is important because it can help clinicians develop a plan of care (Boltz, Capezuti, Fulmer, & Zwicker, 2012). Creating an accurate plan of care for older adults will greatly impact their quality of life.

A person’s situation changes in many different ways as they become older and senior citizen’s needs will therefore be very different to middle aged and even younger members of society. Most obviously, an elderly person’s body will begin to become weaker, and their eyes ears, muscles and joints will not function as well as they did before. Technology has been able to assist the elderly in many of these problems, providing glasses, hearing aids, walking aids and wheelchairs, respectively. In addition to this, medicines are becoming more and more advanced and are allowing the elderly to live longer than before. In 2010 the World Health Organization (WHO) showed that the average life expectancy in 1960 was 36, compared with 74.5 in 2010.

Modern healthcare is amazing. We are progressively finding treatments and even cures for diseases and other ailments that were causing widespread death less than a century ago. One of society’s greatest achievements is the dramatic increase in life expectancy. Most children born in 1900 had a life expectancy of around 50 year of age. Now life expectancy is estimated at about 80 years of age. However, the number of people age 85 and older is on the rise accounting for 8 percent of the world’s 7 ¼ billion people (US World, 2015). In many countries this 8 and over population is the fastest growing with projections to increase 351 percent between 2010 and 2050 with a 188 percent increase for the population aged 65 or older and a 22 percent increase for those under the age of 65.

Good health allows many aging adults to live a life of independence, productivity, and security. Unfortunately, most of this population will experience health or safety challenges due to chronic illnesses and mental health issues that can greatly affect their quality of life. The leading causes of death in people over the age of 65 are heart disease, cancer, and chronic

According to the UN World Health Organization definition of aging over 65 years as "elderly", when the population of a region or country, the ratio of the elderly more than 7%, referred to as "aging society."