Question

Discussion Topics, Mohr

Chapter 37, Older Adult Clients

Discussion Topics	Learning Objective
1. As a nursing student, you care for many individuals who fall into the older adult category. In the United States, an individual age 65 and older is considered an older adult. Think about the older adult clients you have cared for in your nursing practice. What adaptations did you make in your care based on aging changes? How do you feel about aging and getting older? What attitudes, personality traits, and health practices do you believe can pose a problem for people as they age?	1, 2
2. You are caring for an 84-year-old woman who is taking 15 different medications. How does aging affect pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics? What health promotion teaching would you want to perform for an older adult taking many medications?	6, 8
3. While caring for a 74-year-old man, you notice that he is experiencing several normal age-related physical changes. What normal changes to the nervous and sensory system; cardiovascular system; respiratory system; renal and urinary system; musculoskeletal system; and gastrointestinal system would you expect? How would you alter your communication techniques when interacting with an older adult?

Answer 1

1)Old age is a sensitive period. Some of the adaptations to be made in th care for them are

• Developing a good communication skill
• Understanding their emotions and feeling
• loneliness are experienced by them so it has to be taken care
• an ease in the mobilisation to be seen and supported
• Medical ailments to be addressed
• Pain (joint pain) are experienced by most of them a special care on it to be looked upon.
• Vision and hearing loss if any yo be rectified to the maximum

Ageing and getting older a natural phenomenon which is unavoidable. It can be made healthy by proper care and plan to support financially and physically .

Attitudes like llike acceptance of ageing wisely ,Personalities change with ageing ,A regular health practice or follow up has yo be done.If these are not taken care it may impose problems to these age group .Sensitivity and suspiciousness are highly common among them.

2) As we age the metabolism gets slower due to physical changes of the body.The renal clearance and excretion are usually reduced due to ageing.

The following health promotion teaching to be done to a older adult who is taking many medication are

• Avoid any OCT medication
• follow a proper timing or schedule
• If missed any drug take as soon as remembering If bear to the next dose timing skip the missed didose
• report any discomforts or change in the bodily status
• Avoid alcohol or smoking because this my slower the actio nof drug
• If diabetic or hypertensive have a check on it frequently when taking medication
• get the help of family members

3) The changes occurring in system as we age are as following

• Detoriation are first observed in vision and hearing occurs first
• forgetting things are common
• The cardiovascular system may undergo physiological defects like atherosclerosis due to earlier life style.
• Musculoskeletal skeletal changes like imbalance in gait,skin changes,osteoporosis are common
• The renal and urinary system may slower the filtration rate,incontinence may occur in most old age people
• Digestion and excretion may be slower are impacted in the older clients

Communication has to be made usually along with facial expression, body languages,loudly but pleasantly.