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Geriatrics > Psychosocial Issues in Aging > Flashcards

Psychosocial Issues in Aging Flashcards

1
Q

What % of the population is >65 today, what will it increase to in the next 25 years

A
  • today: 13%

- in 25 years: 20%

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2
Q

List 8 prevalent psychosocial issues in older adults

A
  1. dementia
  2. anxiety disorders
  3. Suicide
  4. Sleep problems
  5. Hypochondriasis
  6. Substance/alcohol abuse
  7. Depression
  8. Behavioral disorders
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3
Q

Dementia

A

often accompanied by emotional disturbances, anxiety, paranoia, etc.

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4
Q

Anxiety disorders

  • prevalence in geriatrics
  • which type MC
A
  • 6% older adults

- GAD usually (lots of life changes, retirement, etc.)

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5
Q

Suicide rate is highest in what population

A

older, white males

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6
Q

Substance dependence/alcohol abuse

A
  • usually in form of rx medications
  • 2-4% people >65
  • 25% of Rx written for older adults in US
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7
Q

Depression

A

Often manifests as physical sx, easy to overlook

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8
Q

Behavioral disorders

A
  • physical aggression, wandering, verbal outbursts

- can be from delirium, dementia, depression, or psychosis

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9
Q

List four psychological and social adjustments often have to be made

A
  • Grief and loss
  • “living losses”
  • Other losses
  • Work roll loss
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10
Q

What are living losses

A
  • person is still here but everyone else has died

- lost place in community (retired, etc.)

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11
Q

What are examples of “other” losses

A
  • loss of identity
  • loss of lifestyle (have to diminish bc of income)
  • loss of independence
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12
Q

Explain work role loss

A
  • when loss work role, impact can be phenomenal if don’t have something to replace it
  • important to prepare for the transition!!
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13
Q

Common feelings related to losses

A
  • Sorrow, anger, loneliness, confusion, despair
  • Society’s devaluation of older adults can be very devaluing…
  • Feel like everyone views them as “stuck in the past”
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14
Q

Response to physical and functional changes

A
  • can result in limitations that negatively affect quality of life and can contribute to increased health care costs (even if insured!)
  • might have to chose between CT scan or new dentures
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15
Q

What is an important predictor of how someone will respond to physical and functional change?

A

a lot will depend on their personality, how they have reacted to stressors in the past

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16
Q

List 4 common changes in role/social relationship that occurs in older age

A
  • Parenting parents
  • Loss of work role
  • Bereavement dt loss of spouse or other family member
  • New duties and skills needed after loss of spouse (worse if gender roles were rigid)
17
Q

Bereavement stats

A
  • 800k widows ea year
  • grief process is individual, can be associated with anxiety, depression, sleep issues, eating problems, crying, etc.
  • Fam members ca be at diff stages of grief which can lead to family discord
18
Q

At what point should depression be further evaluated after the loss of a spouse or family member?

A

If dx sx are still prevalent after 2 months might consider adjustment disorder vs. grief

19
Q

Dealing with multiple losses

A
  • Bereavement overload: if not enough time between losses to “recover”
  • Personal losses
  • Social losses
  • Economic losses
  • Emotional crisis of multiple losses
20
Q

Example of social losses

A
  • live in a new residence, assisted living, new city

- lose ability to drive, can’t visit friends

21
Q

Emotional crisis dt multiple losses

A
  • Can result in mental confusion, disorientation, withdrawal (be alert for this)
  • Sense that everything that was meaningful has been taken away
  • Can lead to suicidal thoughts
22
Q

Grief characteristics of older adults vs. younger adults

A
  • Identify with the dead person vs. feel guilt
  • Replace emotional grief with somatic complaints - often wont’ talk about grief but have GI upset, multiple migraine headaches, etc.
  • Might have a glorified image of the person who died…
  • Might want to self isolate, might feel hostile to the rest of the world.
23
Q

Factors that influence an older person’s ability to cope with a life stressor

A
  • Age
  • Number of losses in a time period
  • Past experience with loss: If you’ve gotten through it once, can do it again
  • Previous ways of coping of issues at different life stages
  • Having and using a support system
  • Having a sense of control over some of the factors relevant to the loss
  • A positive relationship with the deceased person
  • The person’s state of health
  • Belief in a power greater than one’s self
24
Q

Life changes that increase risk of depression

A
  • Moving to new level of care
  • Chronic pain or illness
  • Children move away
  • People close to you die
  • Loss of independence
25
Q

Common sx of depression in elderly

A
  • Fatigue
  • Appetite loss
  • Trouble sleeping
    • These are also part of physical illness and/or the aging process, can be easily overlooked
26
Q

Physical illnesses related to depression

A
  • Thyroid disorders
  • Parkinson’s
  • Heart disease
  • Cancer
  • Stroke
  • Dementia
  • Overuse of alcohol and other substances
27
Q

Successful coping with aging depends on 6 things:

A
  • Long-term lifestyle
  • Ability to expect and plan for change
  • The strength of relationships with others
  • Willingness to stay interested in and involved with life.
  • Talking about what will happen as you age and how you will deal with those changes will help adapt to the aging process.
  • Helping patients cope with aging process will help with their sense of wellbeing!
28
Q

Ways to help patients cope with the aging process

A
  • Help them accept reality. If they need hearing aids, get them!
  • Keep a positive attitude and encourage pt to continue to set goals and work toward those goals (never too old to achieve goals)
  • See PCP regularly
  • Make all medications known to all providers you see
  • Get regular exercise, well-balanced diet (less fatty food)
  • Remain socially active to prevent isolation!

Geriatrics (14 decks)

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