Week One Flashcards
What are concepts in gerontology? Consider a health challenge for older people for each concept.
Perfusion- Gas Exchange- Mobility- Digestion- Elimination- Cognition- Metabolism and Glucose Regulation- Immunity- Tissue Integrity- Infection- Mood
what is gerontological nursing?
Gerontological nursing is a specialty requiring complex skill set to provide high quality care for patients with high acuity and long-term conditions
Burden to health care system and society?
bed blocker
frequent flyer
negative image and portrayal of older people through languageand visuals increases the risk of ageism, discrimination and poorquality, undignified care
Caring for older people requires highly skilled health careprofessionals due to the complexity of health challenges both incommunity and acute hospital settings
How do we view older people?
The average per-person spending on health care for Canadians aged 64 and below is$2,700. The average per-person spending on Canadians aged 65 and over is more thanfour times higher at $12,000.
Increase in LTC patients (almost double)
Increase in people ageing at home and requiring home care (by 1/3)
Projections that we will spend nearly $60 billion per year for older people’s services in 2031
quality of care not just quantity
Fraility and falls - a typical age problem?
Frailty is theoretically defined as a clinically recognizable state of increasedvulnerability resulting from aging-associated decline in reserve and functionacross multiple physiologic systems such that the ability to cope witheveryday or acute stressors is comprised.
How does Fried define fraility?
As meeting three out of the five phenotypic cireteria indicating compromised energetcis
low grip strength,* low energy,* slowed walking speed,* low physical activity,* and/or unintentional weight loss
Who is at highest risk for fraility?
85+ age group
Women
More prevalent amongst Black older people than White older peopl
What are the potential risks / health outcomes / impacts of fraility?
The course of frailty is characterised by a decline in functioning acrossmultiple physiological systems, accompanied by an increased vulnerabilityto stressors. Having frailty places a person at increased risk of adverseoutcomes, including falls, hospitalisation, malnutrition, infection, physicaland mental health co-morbidities, and mortality
Who is at Risk for Falls?
Oldest old – 85 years and older - have highestprevalence (nearly 10% reported a fall related injury – almost double to 65–69 year-olds);more likely to be female; more likely to be living alone
Assessment
- is the person at risk?
- fall risk assessment tool
Prevention
- Education
Exercise and maintaining activity
Best Practice Guidelines
Fall prevention interventions: listen to patients/ clients
nursing care
Best Practice Guidelines
Patient and family
centred care- Consider cause and outcomes of fall
Fear of Falling
A person has lasting fear of falling and may avoid activities they would otherwise becapable of performing
As much of a concern to older people as crime, financial crisis or other adverse healthevents
More often affects older women, those with previous falls and certain co-morbidities(chronic illness, frailty)
Activity restriction in the long-term adversely affects mental and physical health andactually increases the risk of future falls.
Rehabilitation focuses on reducing fear of falling through building strength, balanceand confidence
Successful Aging - What does that look like and for whom?
“Successful ageing has become an important concept to describe the quality ofageing. It is a multidimensional concept, and the main focus is how to expandfunctional years in a later life span.”
- ageing in the absecnce of disease?
- active ageing?
- ageing in place?
- holistic ageing?
Who decides what “successful” ageing is?
Policy makers/ politicians?Health Care Organisations?Health Care Professionals?Communities?Individuals?Consider population level or individual perspective and determinants of health
