diabetes, coronary artery disease, and the need for dental care. include diabetes, degenerative joint disease, gout, alcoholism, gallbladder disease, …
1 Early adulthood is generally a healthy period, which challenges the
health care worker
to be even more sensitive, insightful, and creative in implementing care
Health and
physical processes in the young adult are frequently taken for granted
Concern for health and well being is lower among those in the twenties and
starts to increase in the mid thirties
2 Young adulthood is marked by several events, such as taking on
financial responsibilities, making career choices, beginning social
relationships, entering
marriage, and becoming a parent It is the time to establish goals in
preventive care Most young adults need to increase their awareness of risk
factors related to smoking, drug abuse, problem drinking, sexually
transmitted disease, as well as problems with
obesity or poor eating habits and lack of exercise New roles in taking on
family responsibilities make it important to know about unwanted pregnancy,
cancer,
diabetes, coronary artery disease, and the need for dental care Public
education is the
best way to promote health and alterations in young adult life styles
3 In the mid-thirties, there is increased awareness of the need for
physical fitness, while
acknowledging
decreasing physical abilities There is also emphasis on
options related to work choices, financial security, and sexuality
Relationships with members of the same age group and family are valued
Also, there is an increased level of feeling
for independence in Activities for Daily Living ADL
4 The physical body peaks in the late teens and early 20s and most of the
bodys organs begin to decline in function about the age of 30:
Hearing20
Speech20-25
Taste30
Bones 30
Vision 40
Smell50
5 Common health problems in middle adulthood some of which are gender
related,
include diabetes, degenerative joint disease, gout, alcoholism, gallbladder
disease,
coronary artery disease, varicose veins varicosities, hypertension,
strokes, GI disorders,peptic ulcer disease, obesity, dental problems,
visual changes,
reproductive/menopausal problems, anxiety/stress, and accidents/injuries
Many of these
diseases are preventable wholly or in part through behavior changes Middle
aged adults
can influence their own health as well as their childrens through
healthier life styles
6 Cardiovascular problems of the middle and older age include:
- Decreased efficiency of the heart pumping blood to the body
-
Decreased circulation to tissue and organs
- Increased pressure on vessel walls cause increased Blood Pressure BP,
- hypertension
- Irregular prominences of the blood vessels varicosities
7 Normal aging may be viewed as those inevitable and irreversible changes
that occur
with time Today, it is expected that most people will live to be at least
65 How an
individual responds to the age-related changes visible in the mirror is
related to the
persons self-esteem Physical responses to getting older can be related to
lifelong health habits, heredity, diet, exercise patterns, and love and
belonging Successful aging depends on the individuals capacity to cope
and ability to change This affects the individual, the family, and society
at large
8 Although our veteran patient population is comprised of all adult age
groups, the
fastest growing segment is those 65 years and older In the year 2000, 37
of the veteran population was 65 years and older, in the year 2015, 46
will be over 65 years
9 Each of the five senses, vision, hearing, taste, smell and touch, become
less efficient
with advanced age, interfering in varying degrees with safety, normal
activities of daily
living and general
well-being Changes in vision include inability to focus
properly,
decreased peripheral side vision, altered color perception perception of
color tones, ie, blues, greens, and violet, decreased lubrication to the
eye, difficulty in seeing in dim
areas, and cataracts
10 Hearing loss is progressive; high frequency sounds are lost first, then
middle and low Sounds of s, sh, f, ph, and ch are filtered from normal
speech, making words sound
distorted When speaking to someone with hearing loss, communication is
improved if
you face the person when speaking to them Equilibrium sense of balance
of the elderly may be affected also When using stairs, it is best to hold
on to a hand rail if you suffer from equilibrium/balance problems
11 Sense of taste is diminished due to decrease in the number of taste
buds on the
tongue Flavors of sweet, sour, salt and bitter are diminished Also less
saliva production, poor oral hygiene and ill fitting dentures may cause
problems These all contribute to the loss of appetite and lack of proper
nutritional intake Problems like this might be decreased by eating no less
than three meals a day that are of nutritonal value and taking care of any
oral problems
with loose fitting dentures or tooth decay
12 By the age of 80, detection of all scent is almost half of what it was
at peak There are now less sensory cells in the nasal lining and fewer
sensory cells in the olfactory bulb of the brain
13 Tactile sensation in the elderly person reduces his/her ability to
sense pressure and/or pain and to differentiate temperatures These sensory
changes can cause misperception of the environment and as a result,
profound safety risks
14 Aging can be a difficult process Retirement, decreased income, a
shrinking world of
friends, and declining health may all contribute to a life of isolation and
loneliness
Medications, environmental factors, a loss of independence, and
insufficient activity can
also cause problematic behaviors Thoughts of depression and suicide, signs
of dementia, fatigue and insomnia may occur, but are not part of the normal
reactions to aging and indicate a need for help
15 The frail elderly, 70 years and older, are more likely to be
restrained Most frequently
the reason for using physical restraints is to prevent injury However,
studies show that
patients who are not restrained are less likely to suffer injuries
16 Older
persons are at high risk for developing respiratory disorders
Contributing
factors are smoking, immobility, poor nutrition, self-remedies and failure
to seek medical
help for symptoms Some of the major diseases, which are usually in
advanced stages
before they are diagnosed, are pneumonia, influenza, tuberculosis TB, and
lung
cancer Delays in diagnosis and treatment can be attributed to symptoms
masked
by medications, subnormal body temperatures, and decreased pain sensation
17 It is estimated that 4 million older adults suffer some form of
dementia
irreversible decline in mental abilities, mainly Alzheimers disease The
symptoms of
this progressive degenerative disease develop gradually and progress at
different rates
among affected individuals As patients regress, their dignity, personal
worth, freedom
and individuality are jeopardized Sometimes loved ones view the demented
family
member as a stranger, and sometimes health care workers view them as
another dependent or total-care patient A patient, regardless of their
condition, should
always be treated with dignity and respect
18 The reality of facing death is an issue which older adults must face
The elderly
should be included
in plans related to care and in decisions to undergo or
refuse extensivetherapeutic or resuscitative measures This would be an
appropriate time to discuss a Living Will Advanced Directives
Source:platemethod.com
