NUR 397: Healthy Aging

describe a group of health conditions that last a long time- root word of chonic is chronos which refers to time:

illness over time

health problem or condition that may provide opportunities- constraints in what a person does, usually is indefinite as a lived experience

permanent, leaves a residiual disability, caused by a nonreversible pathologic condition, requires special training of the person for rehabilitation purposes, requires a long period of healthcare supervision, observation, or care

a physical or mental limitation within a social context, the gap between a person's capacity and the demands of the environment

an individual that has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of his or her major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment

specialty practice that is a creative process that begins with immediate preventative care in the first stage of an accident or illness

It is continued through the restorative stage of care and involves adaptation of the whole being to a new life

bearing witness to others as they live their quality of life defined by the person

a process through which a person achieves optimal physical, emotional, psychological, social, and vocational potential

to improve function and promote independence and life satisfaction consistent with a person's impairment and envioronmental limitation

to provide intervetions to maximize function and limit impact of disability

specialty of nursing concerned with assessing the health and functional status older adults, planning and implementing health care adn services to meet the identified needs, and evaluating the effectiveness of such care

early AM: 1-2 am

care provider/expert, educator/teacher, caring professional

work with individual and family, standards, use best available evidence, coordinator, advocate/case manager, leader, collaborator, facilitator, liaison

Maintain dignity and personal wholeness in a life that is as independent and self-filling as possible

Prevention, maintenance, and restoration

level of adaptation within the four modes and a change in environment can post a threat to them

assisting the client and family in achieving a positive response and thus adaptation to the environmental stimuli

categories of self care

help people maintain continuously that amount and quality of self-care which is therapeutic in sustaining life and health, in recovering from disease or injury, or in coping with their effects

assessment

illness is viewed form the person's perspective with no judgment

living with difficulty and suffering opens up new opportunities for becoming fully human

Body and its cells are damaged by overuse and abuse:

Organs are worn down by toxins in our diet and in the environment

As we age, our very cells feel the effect, no matter how healthy our living: The reason why many old people die of diseases that they could have resisted when they were younger

focuses on genetic programming encoded within our DNA

We are born with a unique code adn that genetic inheritance has a great deal to say about how we age

signals when we start to age and when to die
Timing of the clock is varied depending on what happens to us as we group and how we live

a free radical is a molecule with a free electron that reacts with healthy molecules in a destructive way: they can attack the cell membrane structure and damage the body, contributing to aging

brain cells do not replicate. We have a specific number of them and they die off over a lifetime. A change in metabolic rate accelerates the process of aging

the immune system is the most important in the line of defence. The body's ability to tell antibodies from proteins decreases with age, thus becoming self destructive

Telomers are sequences of nucleic acids extending from the ends of chromosomes. They maintain the integrity of the chromosome. Every time our cells divide, they become shorter, leading to cellular damage and death with aging

aging is the process in which society and the individual gradually withdraw, or disengage from each other to the mutual satisfaction and benefit of both

older persons should continue a middle aged lifestyle, denying the existence of old age as long as possible and society should have the same norms for old age as middle age

try to remain active

Personality and basic patterns remain unchanged as one ages: engaged early in life, one will remain engaged

accept and find meaning in life: adds to ego integrity and coping

If you feel angry or bitter, it may mean inadequate ego integrity

satisfaction from oneself as a person rather than through parental or occupational roles

find psychological pleasures rather than focus on health problems

achieve satisfaction through reflection on past life and accomplishments rather than think about how many years to live

adjusting to age's infirmities: developing a sense of satisfaction with one's lived life and preparing for death

older adults possess their own norms, beliefs, expectations, and behaviors that difference them from other groups

aging entails a transition from rational, materialistic metaperspective toa cosmic and transcendent vision

Less concen on material possessions, meaningless relationships and self interest and great interest on others and connection with others

chronic illness

focus on obesity, diabetes, cancer, CV disease (including stroke)

stroke

heart disease, malignant neoplasms, cerebrovascular disease, chronic lower respiratory disorder, accidents

symptoms
sequelae
safety
support/services
satisfaction

What strategies can be used to manage the most common symptoms

what interventions should be undertaken to prevent common complications of the illness/disability (such as preventing skin breakdown, contractures, and social isolation)

What are the major safety issues and how to decrease these risks?

Any resources?

what can be done to maintain or enhance quality of life?