Week 9 - Stressors Flashcards
What are some social stressors? (4)
- ageism
- transitions
- Being a caregiver
- Environment
What are the psychological stressors?
loss and grief
What are some physiolgical/physical stressors? (3)
- Chronic conditions
- Frailty
- Dependency
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness causes stress and impacts older adults’ ability to cope. What is chronic illness? (4)
- must be assessed in relation to its affect on functioning
- contains elements of both illness and wellness
- is irreversible but it can be managed
- are common amongst older adults
What is the life course theory?
The stressor experienced by the older adult is a result of the times they live in and the situations and experiences they encounter
What factors are important for the life course theory? (2)
- social roles and interdependent social relationships
- importance of ethnicity, gender and social status
What is gerotranscendence?* (2)
The stressors experienced are in part a result of how the older adult perceives the stress
- This theory indicates that people in their later life are more inclined to accept life’s stressors and value what they have.
One of the differences in response to stress are related to cognitive appraisal.
True or false: studies indicate that older adults can be more likely to have a positive appraisal of an event than a younger person. (2)
True
- functional and cognitive changes can lead to difficulty with cognitive appraisal
What is the role of the gerontological nurse for coping? (4)
Assess for risk factors for social isolation
- hearing loss
- Optimize function
- Opportunities for social activities (refer to people who are caregivers in the community)
What are challenges for older adults to optimize coping? (2)
- transportation issues
- mental or psychosocial impairments that interfere with relationships
As nurses, you must recognize behaviours indicating adjustment. What are examples of this behaviour? (8)
- Confront realities and take appropriate action to deal with them
- Focus on solutions
- Redefine problems (reframe)
- Consider alternatives
- Have good communication skills
- Seek help
- Accept support
- Acknowledge their loss and try to make sense of it
What behaviours are ineffective or maladaptive? (4)
- Ignoring the underlying cause of the stressor
- Use and abuse of alcohol and other substances
- Denial of problem
- Avoidance of problem
What behaviours indicate difficulty coping? (3)
- Emotional extremes
- Pessimistic
- Expect perfection from themselves and others
For assessments, it is important to recognize responses to stress. What assessments should nurses know? (3)
- perception of threat
- Past coping patterns
- Medical and social hx
How can one manage to promote coping that is appropriate to the problem? (4, 6)
- Problem-solving - education on management of disease
- Emotional-focused
- attending a support group - Meaning-focused
- re-interpreting the meaning of lost functional ability - Accessing resources
