Introduction to Paramedic Practice (Weeks 6-8: Aging Populations) Flashcards
(14 cards)
Factors that contribute to ageing: What are 5 most common factors that contribute to ageing?
- Genetics: These play a role. Some people look ‘very old’ at 60yrs, others look youthful at 80yrs
- Lifestyle: Includes things like smoking, diet, lack of exercise, sun exposure etc
- Physiological changes (cellular)
- Psychological changes
- Socio-economic factors/determines of health
What are some reasons for a longer life expectancy in following years/a larger aging population?
- Increasing life expectancy and more advanced medical improvements
- Improved living conditions and healthier lifestyles
- Decreasing birth rate
What are some factors that contribute to healthy ageing?
- Being able to make ‘life adjustments’ and being accepting of oneself
- Participating in activities/behaviour to maintain social connections
- Try to reduce functional decline, especially through continued exercise
- Contribution to society (employment/volunteering etc)
- Maintaining independence, having a voice in decisions
What are examples of Physiological ageing?
- Integumentary system (changes to skin elasticity system/loss of collagen)
- Neurological (decrease in neuron numbers, postural hypotension due to slower responses in the sympathetic nervous system with decrease in venous return)
- Senses (hearing changes, decrease in smell, inability for eyes to adjust to dim lights)
- Endocrine (alterations in hormones levels, decreased kidney function, liver slower at glucose storage moving glucose into blood during hypoglycaemia)
- Digestion (decrease in gut mobility, decrease in absorption of nutrients)
- Musculoskeletal (decrease in muscle and bone mass increases disability - exercise can reduce the impact of this)
What are four examples of age related diseases?
- Osteoarthritis
- Cardiovascular and renal disease
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Dementia (loss of thought process, language, inability to calculate, poor judgement)
What are some examples of psychosocial changes? (relating social conditions to mental health)…
Depression, anxiety, delirium, substance abuse, Dementia, personality disorders
What can psychosocial changes result in? e.g from depression, anxiety, substance abuse etc…
- loss of autonomy
- grief
- fear
- loneliness
- financial restraints
- loss of social networks
What is dementia?
- Characterised by a decline in cognition when compared to previous performance, and involves one or more cognitive domains: (complex attention, executive function, learning and memory, language, perceptual motor, social cognition)
- dementia is a progressive condition, the decline usually happens over a number of years
- the severity of the deficits can interfere with independence in activities of daily life (ADL’s)
- Dementia is an umbrella term , it is used to describe a set of symptoms, which can be a spectrum of cognitive impairment ranging form Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) which generally does not effect a patients ability of independence to ADLs though to dementia.
DEMENTIA: Additional NOTES
- Alzheimers disease (AD) is a specific brain disease that causes dementia and is the most common in older adults (approx 50-75% of all cases) followed by vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia.
- Frontotemporal dementia is less common and can have a younger onset compared to other dementia’s.
- Other causes of dementia syndromes are neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington disease or Parkinson disease, traumatic brain injuries and alcoholism.
communication tools: VERA tool (particularly useful for interacting with patients who have dementia*)
What does VERA acronym stand for?
- Validation
- Emotion
- Reassurance
- Activity (meaningful distraction)
Ageism and Elder Abuse: What is the definition of ageism?
- Defined at the stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination of people on the basis of age
Ageism and Elder Abuse: What is the definition of elder abuse and neglect?
- Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationships where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person
What is the six step approach in responding to suspected elder abuse and neglect?
- Identification
- Support/empower
- Risk assessment (low risk - older person is isolated and/or vulnerable, med risk - current or future risk of harm, to older person - intervention reqruired for abuse/neglect. High risk - older person at risk of immediate harm - immediate intervention necessary)…
- Safety planning
- Documentation
- Referral
What are the 9 stages of the ‘frailty scale’?
- Fit
- Well
- Managing well
- Vulnerable
- Mildly frail
- Moderately frail
- Severely frail
- Very Severely frail
- Terminally ill
