The difficult ones; caring for patients with dementia

Subject: Nursing
topic: The difficult ones; caring for patients with dementia

1. Recommended Text

2. American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Journals of Interest

3. Age and Aging

4. American Journal of Epidemiology

5. Canadian Journal of Aging

6. Clinical Geriatrics Medicine

7. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

8. Journal of Gerontological Nursing

9. Nursing Inquiry

10. The Healthy People 2020 objectives on older adults are designed to promote healthy outcomes for this population. Many factors affect the health, function, and quality of life of older adults. The purpose of the paper is two-fold: to encourage you to think about the issues related to the aging population and propose how to address the issue you select( topic: The difficult ones; caring for patients with dementia) , thus meeting the objectives of Healthy People 2020. What ideas would you propose to family, the healthcare organization, policy makers to address this issue; how would the profession of nursing benefit from your proposal; what resources would be needed to accomplish you proposed solution? Dream big, use the concepts we have covered in class to write this thoughtful, but necessary proposal for improving the health of an aging population.

Some Emerging Issues in the Health of Older Adults that should be addressed in this Assignment

Emerging issues for improving the health of older adults include efforts to:

* Coordinate care.

* Help older adults manage their own care.

* Establish quality measures.

* Identify minimum levels of training for people who care for older adults.

* Research and analyze appropriate training to equip providers with the tools they need to

* meet the needs of older adults living with chronic disease such as Dementia, Alzheimer, mental health challenges

* Resources needed by unpaid caregiver

Expectations for the assignment:

· Briefly summarize the issue in no more than two pages must use literature to substantiate why this is an issue.

· Discuss and critically analysis how three concepts from the course that you identify as being most important in resolving the issue (at least two page for each concept).

· Describe and reflect on the impact this assignment has had on you (needs to be quite detailed so at least one page).

· Depth of analysis is essential, so be careful to explore each area.

· Submit a typed paper that is 8 pages long and follows APA format.

· One hard copies of the complete paper must be submitted in week 12 class.
Caring for Patients with Dementia

Introduction
According to world statistics, persons above the age 65 reached 39.6 million in 2009. Population division as a contribution prepared this report to the 2002 world assembly that demanded a follow up on aging people. Aging people experience limitations when it comes to regeneration of their body parts. This may be due to wear and tear of body parts and cells within our body becoming old and inactive therefore unable to coordinate daily activities properly. Aging people are more likely to experience fatigue in their daily activities and will therefore require personal assistance (Lleó A, 2009). NO SENSE
Aging people are therefore advised to engage in light physical activities to avoid fatigue. These peoples diet should also contain a balanced and an essential diet to enable their survival. Aging people has been an interesting topic for many researchers and most of them have conducted research on this people. In 2010, 524 million people were aged 65 and above representing 8% of the worldâ??s population. This population is expected to rise by 2050 representing 1.5 billion people (Dougall & Bruggink S, 2004). This projection indicates that aging people are experiencing improved living conditions. The living conditions are due to improvement in science and technology that has enabled doctors to take care of these people at their state. THIS IS NOT MY TOPIC!
Research also indicates that more nursing homes are being improved to take care of aging people. Various governments in their home countries have put into account in their budgets to care for aging people. It is also evident that aging people are receiving proper health care hence improving their population. Saving schemes is also a factor that is considered to be increasing the population of aging people in the world since older people have enough money to access proper diet and health facilities. It is also interesting to realize that the first baby boomers turned 65 two years ago (American Hospital Association, 2007). These people were born between 1946 and 1964. The health of older people is therefore very important in order to maintain quality life and their wellness. The patient protection act of 2010 has provisions that are related the relevant medical care for aging people. WHERE DID YOU GET THIS?REFERENSE? However, certain cultural communities due to difference in ethnicity and racism do not utilize these services. Medicare and Medicaid service programs are designed for improving physicians, hospitals, nursing home care, amongst others. Aging people have complex conditions, which require professional services and expertise in order to satisfy and meet their needs. Most of the physicians and their caretakers need specialized training on aging (Kramarow E, 2007). WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OF THIS WHOLE PARAGRAHP TO MY TOPIC? NOT EVEN ONCE YOU MENTIONED DIMENTIA?
However, it is important to realize that the percentage of specialist trained in this section is very few. Healthy People 2020 objectives require that federal government agencies improve the quality of life for older people. This may be through combating health disparities especially by targeting minorities and underserved populations. Due to old age, these people are unable to complete their daily physical activities due to chronic diseases such as diabetes, dementia, congestive heart failure, and arthritis. These limitations hinder the aging people from surviving for long. Early prevention and tackling of these diseases is important in prolonging their lives. Unfortunately, research indicates that 20% of people suffering from dementia engage in physical activities and strength training especially the aging at minority populations (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2010) NO SENSE. Low-income earners and minorities are reported to suffer mostly form dementia due to their inability to access proper health care at old age. NOT MY TOPIC
Healthy People 2020 Objectives
I HAVE SPECIFIC POPULATION, IT SHOULD BE HEALTHY AGING!
Healthy People 2020, proposes that aging people engage in enough physical activities, manage chronic diseases, and use preventive health services to improve their health incomes. As already stated above, 20% of people suffering from dementia do not engage in physical activities. There is a great misconception about the meaning of dementia. Most people believe that dementia is the weakening of bones. However, dementia is not a specific syndrome but a collection of conditions which affect proper cognitive functioning of the body. Dementia may affect memory, attention, language, and problem solving. The condition may be reversible or reversible depending on its origin. Medics have no specific drug to cure this disease but advice on a change in life style (Cunningham, 2006). Most old people are likely to suffer from chronic conditions due to lack of physical activities. Aging people who are actively engaged in physical activities are less likely to suffer from dementia. For those who have already contacted the disease, physical activities have been reported to reverse the condition.
Physical activities have also been reported to improve mental coordination, improving memory, reduction of weight, reduction in high blood pressure, stress, and many other positive functions. Aging people are also required to adapt a certain lifestyle that will ensure they remain healthy. These people should not eat many fats that can easily lead to obesity. They should also be very carefully regarding their sugar levels to avoid high blood pressure and cases of diabetes. It is therefore advised that the caretakers ensure that aging people follow a strict diet and timetable for physical activities to increase their chances of survival.
Healthy People 2020 objectives also recommends on the social determinant of aging people. Aging people are always determined to live in their society as long as they can (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2011). The social environment that these people stay is important in ensuring that they survive longer. Aging people should stay in a happy family with little or no stressing conditions. This will improve social wellbeing and consequently improve their survival rates. Aging people under poor states of social environment die faster especially due to poverty and lack of access to Medicare. The healthy 2020 people objectives also recommends that there be an increase in the proportion of aging people who are using welcome to Medicare benefit. The article also proposes an increase of the population of aging people who are exhibiting confidence in managing chronic conditions of their health. Amongst the objectives was the increase of proportion of aging people with reduced physical and cognitive functionality but are engaging in light, moderate, and vigorous activities during their leisure periods (Blyth, Cumming, Mitchell, & Wang, 2007).
With regard to health care, the 2020 health people objectives recommend that there should be an increase in the number of physicians with geriatric certification. An increase of psychiatrist, nurses, dentists, therapists, and dieticians with geriatric certification is also necessary.
Caring for people with dementia and other aging related illness require long term services and support (Barker, 2003). For example, there is need of reduction on the number of non-institutionalized aging people who are experiencing unmet need on long-term basis. Most of the aging caretakers have reported cases of unpaid allowances. This is affecting the way the aging people are attended to. For this purpose, federal governments should include strategies that ensure that caretakers have access to well-stipulated allowances and payments. There is also the need for proper data collection about the aging. It is therefore recommended that there be an increase in surveillance concerning the characteristics of victims, perpetrators, neglect, exploitation, and elder abuse.
Understanding and respecting People with Dementia
Whenever someone realizes that his/her condition is declining he/she will require reassurance of your support and care. People with dementia are still valuable human despite their conditions. In order to make these people feel valuable, we should be very tolerant and flexible with them. We should also set a time to listen to them, make jokes, and enjoy regular chats with them. Socially we should engage these people on things that can be done together such as an evening walk, reading a storybook, and writing of dairies (Weitzel, et al., 2011). Respecting the culture of people suffering from dementia is very important. For example, these people would prefer that you address them with their titles. They would also be comfortable when given a balanced diet of their own choice according to their cultural believes. Some of them will require that they be involved in religious activities such as attending the church or mosque or prayer activities and religious festivals. Ensure that aging people are wearing light clothes while hot and heavy clothing while cold. We should be very careful not to arouse their tempers and feelings by touching or engaging in any form of gestures that they will consider disrespectful to them. Depending on their culture, we should also ensure that these people use the toilets according to their wishes.
Failure to treat dementia patients with outmost courtesy is likely to increase their illness mostly because they feel they are less worthy due to the increased attention they receive. It is important that we do not criticize and scold near them. We should not engage in arguments near them and neither should we look for the meaning behind their words (Stolee, Hillier, Esbaugh, Bol, McKellar, & Gauthier, 2005). In addition to this, we should give dementia people as much privacy as they require despite the constant attention they need. Dementia affects peopleâ??s cognitive function. Most of dementia patients are unable to express their feelings properly. It is advisable that we help them express their feelings so that they and feel good, flexible and interested. We should therefore provide them with options and help them in making decisions especially since they still reserve the right to make some of the familyâ??s critical decisions due to their age. Every opportunity should be presented for them to make their own decisions however. Due to their reduced and declining physical activities, ensure that you break down their activities into small steps so that these people may experience a sense of achievement. At the same time, encourage them to progress slowly.
We have already identified several issues that health care organizations need to tackle in order to improve the health of aging people. Amongst them, include the need to ensure that these people have access to proper health care especially the poor and minority people. It is already evident that these facilities are usually under used due to ethnicity, cultural, and racial issues. However, it is not necessary that all aging people be subjected to nursing homes facilities and hospitals. There is a solution for those people who feel safe and able to take care of dementia patients at their families. Care information and support program provides a short course for supporting family members who are willing and able to take care of dementia patients at their homes. The short course is friendly, confidential, and interactive with group sessions hence providing a practical idea on how to deal with a patient suffering from dementia (Brown, 2009).
Reflection
This assignment has been of great help to me especially on how to handle aging people. I am now educated on how to take care of aging people suffering from dementia. I am also now aware that dementia is not weakening of bones but a collection of conditions, which affect memory, language, memory, and coordination of body activities. This assignment has been interesting especially because I have realized that 8% of the worldâ??s population is 65 years above. It is also of great interest to realize that baby boomers turned 65 years two years ago. Amongst the positive contributions of this assignment is the fact that the world is projected to have 1.5 billion aging people >65 by 2050. With great concern, I have been able to learn that federal governments are increasingly improving health care services for the elderly in the world. This is evident by the increasing number of elderly people in the world. In details, I have mostly on how to take care of dementia patients and enable them feel worthy and respected members of the society. For example, aging people would demand a respect on their culture and religious activities. Some of them will require that they be involved in religious activities such as attending the church or mosque or prayer activities and religious festivals. I have learnt that we should be patient with these people. We should engage them in physical activities and provide them with the right diet to prevent cases of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and dementia.
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