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Basic Nursing > geriatrics- chapter 13 > Flashcards

geriatrics- chapter 13 Flashcards

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1
Q

aging

A

a continual process of biologic, cognitive, and psychosocial change that begins at conception

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2
Q

overview of aging

A
  • many adults of the potential for years of interesting and productive life
  • most people don’t mind growing older particularly f they are relatively healthy
  • overcoming myths about aging can be a challenge for nurses
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3
Q

myths about older adults

A
  • they are sick
  • they cannot learn new things
  • it’s too late for lifestyle changes to improve health
  • genetics are the main factor in longevity
  • they are not sexual
  • they are a drain on society
  • they are senile
  • they are typically isolated from their families
  • they usually live in nursing homes
  • they are poor
  • they are unhappy
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4
Q

theories of aging

A
  • some gerontologists claim that aging is primarily determined by genetics
  • others believe environmental and lifestyle factors play key roles in aging
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5
Q

biologic clock theory

A

cells programmed to live a certain amount of time, then break down and die

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6
Q

free-radical theory

A

cells are damaged by toxins in the environment, including the waste products from metabolism

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7
Q

wear-and-tear theory

A

organs eventually wear out, like machinery

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8
Q

immune system failure theory

A

system loses ability to protect body from disease and becomes more susceptible to diseases that eventually kill us

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9
Q

autoimmune theory

A

body no longer recognizes itself and begins to attack itself and break down

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10
Q

disengagement theory

A

it is normal for older people to withdraw from each other

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11
Q

activity theory

A

people who are active and interested continue to enjoy life and live longer

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12
Q

continuity theory

A

individuals’ basic personalities remain constant; they cope with aging similar to how they coped with other stages of life

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13
Q

longevity

A
  • life span is 115 to 130 years
  • avg. life span in 1900: 47
  • avg. life span in 2012: 78.9
  • diet, lifestyle, stress management, regular exercise, personality (outlook on life), gender, marital status, and genetics impact longevity
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14
Q

demographics

A
  • in 2013, 45 million persons (14% of the population) were older than 65 years
  • by 2060, 98 million persons will be older than 65 years
  • young old: 65-74
  • middle old: 75-84
  • very old: 85+
  • centenarians (100+) are becoming more common
    • ~72,000 in U.S.
    • predicted to increase to 1M by
      2050
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15
Q

benign senescence

A
  • normal physical changes of aging
  • begins occurring early in adulthood
  • often goes unnoticed until a problem develops
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16
Q

cardiovascular changes

A
  • increased heart size
  • decreased cardiac output
  • less elastic blood vessels
17
Q

respiratory changes

A
  • thickened alveolar walls
  • weakened respiratory muscles
  • decreased vital capacity
18
Q

musculoskeletal changes

A
  • thinned intervertebral disks
  • decreased bone calcium
  • smaller muscle mass
  • less elastic ligaments and tendons
19
Q

integumentary changes

A
  • thinner, dryer skin
  • loss of subcutaneous fat
  • slower rate of hair and nail growth
20
Q

urologic changes

A
  • decreased bladder capacity and tone
  • loss of nephrons
  • decreased sphincter control
21
Q

neurologic changes

A
  • presbyopia
  • cataracts
  • decreased peripheral vision
  • presbycusis
  • decrease in touch, smell, and taste receptors
  • slowed reaction time
  • balance may be affected
22
Q

endocrine changes

A
  • slowed production of all hormones
  • decreased metabolic rate
  • delayed insulin response
23
Q

gastrointestinal changes

A
  • decreased secretion of saliva and other digestive enzymes
  • slowed peristalsis
  • slowed liver and pancreatic functions
  • reduced absorption of nutrients
24
Q

reproductive changes

A
  • decreased hormone production
  • atrophy of ovaries, uterus, and vagina
  • benign prostatic hypertrophy
  • slowed sexual responses
25
Q

common chronic health problems

A
  • hypertension (most common)
  • arthritis (second most common)
  • heart disease (third most common)
  • obesity (may contribute to arthritis and hypertension)
  • other (anemia, diabetes, cancer, malnutrition, cirrhosis, mental illness)
  • dementia (degeneration of brain tissue) in a small percentage of older adults
26
Q

mental health

A
  • mental health may be difficult to evaluate
  • more than one million older adults experience depression
  • older adults who have suicidal thoughts are more likely to act on them successfully compared with younger people with similar thoughts
  • may begin giving away personal items
  • depression is a risk factor and early sign of dementia
  • dementia occurs in small percentage of older adults, but the incidence increases with age
  • between 5% and 15% of older adults have dementia; 60% to 80% of these people have Alzheimer disease
27
Q

MMSE

A
  • mini mental status exam
  • can screen for early dementia
28
Q

health promotion behaviors

A
  • eat healthy diet
  • add seasonings to counter loss of taste
  • take a daily multivitamin
  • regular physical activity
  • regular physical exams
  • avoid smoking
  • limit alcohol
29
Q

cognitive aspects of aging

A
  • Schaie’s reintegrative stage of development
    • older adults selective about how
      they spend their time
  • intelligence can be maintained into advanced years
  • speed of thinking may be slow but thinking processes remain intact
  • vision or hearing deficits are not cognitive dysfunction
30
Q

wisdom and learning

A
  • older adults are often regarding as wise because of their wealth of life experiences
  • wisdom: having good judgment based on accumulated knowledge
  • older adults are still capable of learning and often have more patience for learning
  • many older adults have learned to operate computers
31
Q

memory issues

A
  • short-term memory loss: some older adults may have problems remembering recent events
  • long-term memory usually remains intact
  • severe memory losses and dementias may be the result of circulatory changes, malnutrition, or other underlying problems
32
Q

employment and retirement

A
  • ability and desire to keep a job an individual decision, depending on the cognitive ability of the older adult
  • some people eager to leave a regular job and may retire in their 50s or early 60s
  • other people enjoy working and want to continue beyond a traditional retirement age
33
Q

psychosocial aspects

A
  • stage of Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Erikson)
  • older adults satisfied with past life usually happy
  • families important to the older adult
  • married older adults live longer than single adults; 39.9% of women and 12.7% of men older than 65 are widows
  • most older adults live within 40 miles of at least one of their children
  • older adults need to feel needed
  • social activities and community ties are important
34
Q

living arrangements

A
  • many prefer to live in their own home
  • about 28% of noninstitutionalized older adults lived alone (more women than men)
  • about 2.2 million grandparents age 65 or over lived in households with grandchildren present
  • increasing number of multigenerational households
  • approximately, 3% of adults over age 65 and 9% of adults over age 85 live in institutional settings
35
Q

health promotion behaviors (cognitive)

A
  • encourage a positive attitude
  • hobbies, religious and service groups, and volunteerism
  • using the brain keeps the neural connections active and healthy
    • reading, doing puzzles, using a
      computer, and writing
36
Q

when a parent needs help

A
  • may be difficult for adult children to admit that a parent needs help
  • discuss possibilities before a crisis occurs; include siblings in the discussions
  • locate important information (financial, medical, insurance)
  • safety is a basic need; observe for changes
37
Q

signs that an older person needs help

A
  • neglected personal hygiene, irregular dressing, soiled clothing
  • significant weight loss
  • home neglect
  • inappropriate behavior
  • frequent falls
  • social isolation
  • altered relationship patterns
  • inability to find the right words
  • unpaid bills, hoarding money
  • confusion about medications
  • making unusual purchases

Basic Nursing (30 decks)

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