Geriatric consideration

INTRODUCTION
Growing old has not been popular among the youthoriented American culture. However, with 66 million baby-boomers reaching their 65th birthdays by the year 2030, greater emphasis is being placed on the needs of an aging population. The disciplines of gerontology (the study of the aging process), geriatrics (the branch of clinical medicine specializing in problems of the elderly), and geropsychiatry (the branch of clinical medicine specializing in psychopathology of the elderly population) are expanding rapidly in response to this predictable demand.

Retirement
Social Implications Economical Implications

Long-Term Care
Age Health Mental Health Status Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Marital Status, Living Arrangement, and the Informal Support Network Attitudinal Factors

Elder Abuse
Factors that Contribute to Abuse Longer Life Dependency Stress Learned Violence

Examples of Elder Abuse Physical Abuse Striking, hitting, beating Shoving Bruising Cutting Restraining Psychological Abuse Yelling Insulting, name-calling Harsh commands Threats Ignoring, silence, social isolation Withholding of affection Neglect (intentional or unintentional) Withholding food and water Inadequate heating Unclean clothes and bedding Lack of needed medication Lack of eyeglasses, hearing aids, false teeth Financial Abuse or Exploitation Misuse of the elderly persons income by the caregiver Forcing the elderly person to sign over financial affairs to another person against his or her will or without sufficient knowledge about the transaction Sexual Abuse Sexual molestation; rape Any type of sexual intimacy against the elderly persons will

Suicide

NURSING DIAGNOSIS
RISK FOR TRAUMA RELATED TO: Confusion, disorientation, muscular weakness, spontaneous fractures, falls DISTURBED THOUGHT PROCESSES RELATED TO: Age-related changes that result in cerebral anoxia EVIDENCED BY: Short-term memory loss, confusion, or disorientation.

 SELF-CARE DEFICIT (SPECIFY) RELATED TO: Weakness, disorientation, confusion, or memory deficits EVIDENCED BY: Inability to fulfill activities of daily living CAREGIVER ROLE STRAIN RELATED TO: Severity and duration of the care receivers illness; lack of respite and recreation for the caregiver EVIDENCED BY: Feelings of stress in relationship with care receiver; feelings of depression and anger; family conflict around issues of providing care.

 LOW SELF-ESTEEM RELATED TO: Loss of pre-retirement status EVIDENCED BY: Verbalization of negative feelings about self and life DISTURBED SENSORY PERCEPTION RELATED TO: Age-related alterations in sensory transmission EVIDENCED BY: Decreased visual acuity, hearing loss, diminished sensitivity to taste and smell, and increased touch threshold