Lecture 10
LATE ADULTHOOD
OBJECTIVES:
After the completion of this chapter, the student will be able to:
• Define late adulthood.
• Identify common health concerns of late adulthood.
• Describe challenges and developmental tasks of late adulthood
• Discuss lifestyle changes that may be necessary for late adulthood.
• Define elder abuse and state on way it can be prevented.
• List the learning needs of later adulthood.
• Select appropriate teaching techniques to promote effective care
Definition
• The U.S government defines old age as over age 65 when full security
benefits become available, retirement usually occurs, And a leisurely
lifestyle is assumed. Late adulthood is considered to encompass the ages
between 65 and 74 years.
The comment health risks and leading causes of death the older adult include:
1- cancer.
2- heart disease.
3- stroke.
4- pneumonia.
5- influenza.
These risks can decrease through preventative
treatment, social support, and healthy behaviors.
measures, medical
Some health concerns of the older adult include following
• Development of osteoporosis
• Risks for falls and fractures
• Poor awareness of healthy behavior options
• Increased risk of influenza and pneumonia
• Development of cataract.
• Compensation for developing hearing defects.
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CHALLENGES
•
Access to health
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Reduced income – Reduced income is a problem for many older adults. Social security and pension
incomes may not cover daily ling and health care expenses
•
Changes in Living Arrangements adjusting to changes in living Arrangements can also influence the physical
and mental well – being of the older adult .
•
Cost of health care – private Insurance and Medicare cover some of the clinic or office care but the focus is
often on treatment
•
Altered Nutritional Needs – Dental problems , inability to cook dislike of eating alone plan or malaise due
to a medcal condition or lack of accommodation for special needs related to cultural or religious.
•
Assistive Devices.
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Preventing Falls.
•
Polypharmcy – the problem of polyphamacy with the use of medications by older adults Polypharmcy
Task and challenges of the older Adult
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Older adults must adjust to the following
Menopause
Retirement and redirection of goals and energy
Decreased income
Grandparentig
Reentry into the job market
Maintaining access to health care
GRANDPRENTING
• When healthy older adults assume the role of
Grandparents they often do more for their
children than their children do for therm.
• Nurses and heath care workers can educate
and guide families concerning resource
available to them before emotional stress
strain caregiver burnout, and older adult
alienation occur.
Elder or Dependent Abuse:
Elder abuse is defined as infliction of harm or neglect through
actions or acts of omission.
Abuse can be:
• physical
• emotional
• financial
• can include neglect or personal rights.
The family or health care worker can observe interactions between
older adults and the caregivers alert other family members to
potentially abusive situations.
POSTMENOPAUSAL CARE
•
Adjusting to the postmenopausal phase of life in as important task of the older
woman Menopause in defined as the absence of menstruation for a period of at
least I year due to decline or cessation of hormonal production and function.
•
Menopause is not a disease or illness it is a natural occurrence in the life cycle
there are discomforts and risks associated with the postmenopausal phase that
can be averted with heath lifestyles and access to preventative medical care same
dis- comforts associated with post menopause include genital atrophy, vasomotor
instability heart disease, breast cancer, or osteoporosis, hormone replacement
therapy (HRT).
•
Complementary and alternative medical therapies (CAM) are also available when
HRT is not recommended.
HEALTH SCREENNGS
Health screening can identity developing heath
issues in early stages and can lead to early
interventions and prevention of greater difficulties,
screenings should include:
•
Dental and eye checkups.
•
Physical evaluation includes weight blood
pressure, thyroid and blood glucose and lipid
levels.
Postmenopausal bone loss and osteoporosis should be assessed regularly
and preventive measures such as:
- Increased calcium intake, vitamin D.
- And daily weight – bearing exercise can be
emphasized dung routine office visits.
• MEMORY
• The older adult experiences memory changes, particularly in
remembering names and faces of people Normal memory loss
can be associated with aging and temporary memory loss can
be due to depression or anxiety preclinical manifestations of
Alzheimer's disease are a common worry when normal memory
loss becomes noticeable.
Warning signs of problematic Memory Decline:
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Memory loss affecting job functioning
Difficulty remembering steps in familiar tasks
Disorientation
Lack of awareness of time, place , or date
Decrease in abstract thinking (increased need for
concreteness)
 Associated problems mood, language, or personality
changes
PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUES FOR THE OLDER ADULT
The social network of friends usually narrows for
the adult due or the death or peers.
Remaining an integral part of an extended family
provides valuable social activity and relationships
but they may be different then peer relationships.
• DEPRESSION IN THE OLDER ADULT:
• A young person who looks at life's events in a
pessimistic way may be vulnerable to developing
depression as an older adult.
TEACHING TECHNIQUES AND GOALS FOR THE
OLDER ADULT:
• Scheduling short teaching sessions enables the older
adult to concentrate and adsorb all the information
throughout the session without losing concentration
due to fatigue or other interference.
• Relating learning topics to autonomy , social
acceptability and strong coping skills can best
effectiveness of learning.