Week 33 Flashcards
What is the current number of people aged 65+
842,000 people aged 65+
What is causing the aging population?
Low fertility rates, low mortality rates and high life expectancies.
What does an aging population mean for healthcare
There are certain health conditions that are expected to be a challenge to our health care system with the increasing aging population. These conditions include cancer, dementia, increase in the number of falls, obesity, and diabetes.
Population aging induces growing costs in healthcare services, due to an increase in the utilization of age-related procedures and treatments that are pushing up costs of long-term care, which are expected to grow at a faster pace than other healthcare needs.
What is the Healthy aging strategy key themes?
- Prevention, healthy ageing and resilience throughout people’s older years
- Living well with longterm health conditions
- Improving rehabilitation and recovery from acute episodes
-Better support for older people with high and complex needs
-Respectful end-oflife care.
Define ageism
Ageism is a form of prejudice in which aging adults are stereotyped by characteristics found in only a few members of their group.
What age is generally considered an older adult?
65 and above
What physiological changes in general status do you see with aging?
- Slower repair of damage
- Wearing down of tissues, organs and body systems leads to the signs and symptoms of aging.
- May intuitively adjust to a modified pace and more frequent rest periods
What physiological changes in integument do you see with aging?
- Wrinkling, sagging of skin because of decreased elasticity: dryness and scaling.
- Balding, hair thinning, loss of pigmentation
-Skin pigmentation - Nails thicken, becoming brittle and yellowed
What physiological changes in musculoskeletal do you see with aging?
- Decreases in subcutaneous tissue and weight commonly are found in the old-old.
- Muscle mass and strength decrease
- Bone demineralisation occurs, bones become porous and brittle
- joints tend to stiffen and lose flexibility, and range of motion may decrease
-overall mobility commonly slows, and posture tends to stoop. Height decreases
What physiological changes in neurological do you see with aging?
- The CNS responds more slowly to multiple stimuli. Hence, the cognitive and behavioural response of the aging adult may be delayed
- Rate of reflex response decreases
-Temp regulation and pain/pressure perception become less efficient - Difficulty with balance, coordination, fine movements, and spatial orientation resulting in an increased risk of falls
- Sleep at night typically shortens, and the aging adult may awaken more easily. Cat-naps become more common.
What physiological changes in special senses do you see with aging?
- Diminished visual acuity, increased glare, decreased ability to adjust to darkness, depth perception and colour discrimination.
- Cataracts
- Diminished hearing, pitch discrimination
- Taste and smell and decreased
What physiological changes in cardiopulmonary do you see with aging?
- Blood vessels become less elastic and often rigid and tortuous. Venous return becomes less efficient. Fatty plaque deposits continue to occur in the linings of the blood vessels. Oedema and cooling may occur, particularly with decreased mobility.
- The body is less able to increase HR and cardiac output with that activity
- Pulmonary elasticity and ciliary action decrease, and clearing of the lungs becomes less efficient. Respiratory rate my increase, accompanied by diminished depth.
What physiological changes in the gastrointestinal do you see with aging?
- Digestive juices continue to diminish, and nutrient absorption decreases.
- Malnutrition and anaemia become more common
- With reduced muscle tone and peristalsis, constipation and indigestion are common complaints
What physiological changes in dentition do you see with aging?
-Tooth decay and loss of continue for most aging adults
-Eating habits may change, particularly if the aging adults lack teeth or has ill-fitting dentures
What physiological changes in genitourinary do you see with aging?
- Blood flow to the kidneys decreases with diminished cardiac output.
-The number of functioning nephron units decreases by 50%; waste products may be filtered and excreted more slowly
-Fluids and electrolytes remain within normal ranges, but the balance is fragile
-Bladder capacity decreases by 50%. Voiding becomes frequent. two, or three times a night is usual. A decrease in bladder and sphincter muscle control may result in stress incontinence or incomplete bladder emptying
-About 75% of men over 65 experience hypertrophy of the prostate glands; surgery may be required if urinary retention occurs
-There is atrophy, a decrease of secretions and thinning of the aging woman’s genital tract.
How can nurses reduce ageism
Practicing conscious inclusion, being aware of unconscious bias, and addressing ageism when they see it
What assessments should be considered with older adults?
- Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA)
- Braden Scale (pressure Injury)
- Ability to perform functional tasks and need for assistance.
- Fall history.
- Urinary and/or faecal incontinence.
- Early Warning Score (EWS) systems
- Nutritional assessment
