GERI FINAl Flashcards
(48 cards)
Signs of Financial abuse in elderly
Frequent expensive gifts from elder to caregiver
Elder’s personal belongings, papers, credit cards missing
Numerous unpaid bills
A recent will when elder seems incapable of writing a will
Caregiver’s name added to bank account
Elder unawareness of monthly income
Elder signs on another’s loan
Frequent checks made out to “cash”
Unusual activity in bank account
Irregularities on tax return
Elder unaware of reason for appointment with banker or attorney
Caregiver’s refusal to spend money on elder
Signatures on checks or legal documents that do not resemble elder’s signature
What is the #1 intervention for a caregiver experiencing burnout?
Respite care
Nursing diagnosis for grieving
• Grieving • Complicated grieving • Interrupted family process o If mother lost an infant, she may now have to go home to kids • Risk-prone health behavior o People may begin risky behavior • Risk for loneliness • Role strain • Risk for ineffective parenting
Elderly loss interventions
• Reflect on memories:
o Photographs
o Collecting life memorabilia
o Creating a memorial service such as a religious ceremony, a burial or the planting of a memorial tree
o Comfort, bathing, music, reading to the elder
o Support the patient’s advanced directives
o Family support – reminiscence
Preparing for the viewing
- MAKE SURE TO DRESS THEM THE EXACT SAME WAY BEFORE EX) if they always wore glasses, make sure they wear glasses or put on signature colonge
Personal items of the diseased
• Be sure careful inventory*
• Pass on to Power of Attorney or next of kin
o Manages financial stuff
• Check with the family to see if any personal belongings should be sent to the funeral home
• Offer spiritual services/social support services to the family
Presentation of the deceased infant
o Bruising
o Maceration of the skin
o Loss of firmness to tissues
o Leaking of body fluids
Dry ARMD
yellow deposits accumulate in the retina
Layers of macula become progressively thinner and function less and less
Color of macula itself changes and can see little waste piles
• These cause atrophy & degeneration of macula
Wet ARMD
new blood vessels grow b/w layers of the retina and leak fluid and blood
What is the main result from Macular degeneration
loss of central vision
What is the diagnosis of ARMD
Asmler grid test
-if the patient sees wavy lines it is indication for ARMD
Which disease is the most common cause for BLINDNESS amongst the older adult
Macular degeneration
What is cataract caused by
exposure to UV B light
What are some causes of vision loss
Presbyopia
- decrease in pupil size
- decreased in tear production
- opacification of the lens and vitreous- decrease visual acuity
- loss of photoreceptors in the retina
- depth perception becomes distorted
- peripheral vision also reduced
- sensitivity to glare
presbycusis
progressive hearing loss
-result of age-related changes to the inner ear, including
loss of hair cells, decreased blood supply, reduced flexibility of basilar membrane, degeneration of spiral
ganglion cells, and reduced production of endolymph
Causes for decrease in taste
reduction of amylase
- taste bud atrophy
- accelerated dental problems
- medications and smoking
Vestibular system and hearing loss
In addition to hearing problems, equilibrium can be altered because of degeneration of the
vestibular structures and atrophy of the cochlea, organ of Corti, and stria vascularis.
cataracts symptoms
not associated with pain
- diplopia
- halos around lights
- visual acuity not affected much
On cataracts exam
- glare from sunlight bothersome
- red reflex is reduced
Treatment of cataracts
simple cataracts surgical procedure
DECISION IS NOT BASED ON AGE BUT RATHER THE INDIVIDUAL
pain perception
Tactile sensation is reduced, as observed in the reduced ability of older persons to sense pressure and pain and
differentiate temperatures.
DOES NOT MEAN REDUCED PAIN PERCEPTION
Interventions for vision loss
1) face the person when speaking
2) use several indirect lights instead of single glaring one
3) avoid glare from window
4) use large print
5) use contrasting colors
6) home visit
7) avoid LOW tone colors
8) use frequently used items into visual field
9) identify personal items by design
10) MATS AND RUGS ARE PROBLEMATIC
changes to sexual functioning in woman
The older woman does not lose
the ability to engage in and enjoy intercourse or other forms of sexual pleasure.
Symptoms of low estrogen
Estrogen depletion also causes
a weakening of pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to an involuntary release of urine when there is an increase
in intra-abdominal pressure.
2) bone loss occurs with low estrogen
- reduction in collagen and adipose tissue, shortening and narrowing of the vaginal canal, decreased elasticity, fewer vaginal secretions, and a more alkaline vaginal pH
-osteoporosis
