An Understanding Of Geriatrics Health And Social Care Essay

An Understanding Of Geriatrics Health And Social C ar sampleThe role of the radiographer is no different than that of all some different wellness professionals. The respectable someone must be treated, non just the manifested symptoms of an illness or injury. Medical im maturation and therapeutic procedures reflect the impacts of ongoing brassic ripening in documentable and visual forms. Adapting procedures to accommodate disabilities and diseases of gerontological tolerants is a critical indebtedness and a challenge based al some exclusively on the radiographers knowledge, abilities, and skills. An accord of the physiology and pathology of develop, in addition to an awareness of the tender, psychological, cognitive, and economics of ageing are compulsioned to meet the involve of the decrepit population. there are conditions typically associated with gray patients that invariably required adaptations or modifications of routine resourcefulness procedures. The ra diographer must be able to differentiate surrounded by geezerhoods colligate diversitys and disease carry outes. Production of diagnostic im sequences requiring professional decision making to compensate for physiological changes, while maintaining the compliance, safety, and harbor of the patient, is the foundation of the contract between the older patient and the radiographer.Physical, Cognitive, and Psychological cause of AgingThe human soundbox undergoes a multiplicity of physiological changes import by second.Little consideration is given regarding these changes unless they are brought on by sudden physical, psychological, or cognitive events. It is important for radiographers to remember that each venerable person we encounter is a unique individual with distinct characteristics. These individuals ware experienced a life filled with memories and accomplishments.Young or old, the rendering of quality of life is an individual and personal mavin. Research has shown that wellness emplacement is an excellent predictor of happiness. Greater social fit, health satisfaction, low compromising personality traits, and fewer stressful life events provoke been linked to prospered aging. Self-efficacy nates be de delicatelyd as the level of ascendancy one has over ones future. Many time-honored quite a little feel there film no control over medical examination emergencies and fixed incomes. Many take on fewer choices about their personal living arrangements. These environmental factors can choose to depression and decreased self-efficacy. An increase in illness will unremarkably parallel a decrease in self-efficacy.A positive posture is a truly important aspect of aging. Many older multitude have the same negative stereotypes about aging that materialisation people do. For them, feeling down and depressed becomes a familiar consequence of aging. angiotensin-converting enzyme of five people older than age 65 in a community will sho w signs of clinical depression. Yet we, as health care professionals, know that depression can scratch both young and old. In general, research has show the majority of aged people lay their health status largely depends on their successful adaptation to disabilities. Radiographers need to be sensitive to the fact that an elderly person may have had to deal with a weigh of losings, both social and physical, in a very short period of period. More importantly, they must recognize symptoms returning from these losses in order to communicate and interact effectively with this patient population.Although, as health care toleraters, the radiographers contribution to a patients quality of life may be minimal, it is not in significant. It is needful to remember that each elderly person is unique and deserves respect for his or her own opinions.One of the first-class honours breaker point questions asked of any patient entering a health care speediness for emergency service is, Do you know where you are and what day it is? the health care providers need to know just how alert the patients is. Although memory does capitulation with age, this is experienced mostly with short-term memory tasks. Long-term memory or subconscious memory tasks show little change over eon and with change magnitude age. There can be a variety of reasons for chagrin or disorientation. Medication, psychiatric disturbance, or retirement can confuse the patient. privacy to some older people means creating a new bent grass of routines and adjusting to them. The majority of elders like structure in their lives and have familiar routines for come up each day.AGING OF THE ORGAN SYSTEMSIntegumentary schema disordersThe integumentary body is one of the first apparent signs of aging. With age comes flattening of the pelt membranes making it vulnerable to abrasions and blisters. The number of melanocytes decrease making ultraviolet light more flagitious and the susceptibility to skin c ancer increase. Wrinkling and polishedning skin are very noticeable among the elderly. This is attributable to decrease in collagen and elastic in the dermis. There is a gradual loss of functioning sweat glands and skin receptor, which increases the scepter for pain stimuli, making the elderly person vulnerable to heat strokes. With age comes atrophy or thinning of the subcutaneous layer of skin in the face, back of the hands, and soles of the foot conditions in the elderly. The most striking age-related changes to the integumentary form are graying, thinning, and loss of fuzz. With age, the number of hair follicles decreases and those follicles that remain grow at a slower rate with less concentration of melanin, causing the hair to become thin and white. A major problem with aging skin is chronic exposure to sunlight. The benefits of protecting ones skin with sunscreen and protective habiliments cannot be over emphasized and will be more explicit as one grows older.Nervous sy stem disordersThe nervous system is the precept regulatory system. Central nervous system disorders are one of the most common causes of disability in the elderly accounting for almost 50% of disability in those older than age 65. Loss of myelin in axons in some of the nervous system contributes to the decrease in steel impulse velocity that is famed in aging. Like any other organ system, the nervous system is vulnerable to the cause of atherosclerosis with advancing age. When blood operate to the brain is blocked, brain tissue is dam elderly. Repeated episodes of rational infraction can eventually lead to multi-infract dementia. Changes in the blood flow and oxygenation to the brain slows down the time carry motor and sensory tasks requiring speed, coordination, balance, and fine motor hand movements. This decrease in the function of motor control puts the elderly person at higher risk for falls. Healthy changes in modus vivendis can reduce the risk of disease. High blood pre ssure, for example, is a noted risk and can be decreased with medication, weight loss, proper nutritional diet, and exercise.Sensory system disordersAll of the sensory systems undergo changes with age. Beginning roughly the age 40, the ability to focus on near objects becomes increasingly difficult. The lens of the eye becomes less pliable, starts to yellow, and becomes cloudy resulting in farsightedness (presbyopia) distorted rubric perception and cataracts also begin. Changes in the retina affect the ability to adapt to changes in lighting and there are decreased abilities to tolerate glare, making shadow stack more difficult for the elderly. Hearing impairment is very common in the elderly. The gradual progressive hearing loss of tone secernment is called presbycusis. Men are affected more lots than are women and the degree of loss is more severe for high-frequency sounds. Speech discrimination is problematic when in noisy surroundings such as a room full of talking people .Immune system declineAge takes its toll on the immune system. To be immune to an infection implies protection from that infection. The ability of our body to remain free of infections requires the immune system to distinguish our own ample cells from invading microorganisms or altered cancer cells. The age-related decline of the immune system functioning makes the elderly more vulnerable to diabetes rises in adulthood. Prevalent among the aged would be influenza, pneumonia, and tuberculosis, meningitis, and urinary tract infections. The three general categories of illness that preferentially afflict the elderly are infections, cancer and autoimmune disease.Genitourinary system disorderFamiliar age-related genitourinary (GU) changes are those associated with incontinence. Changes in bladder might and muscle structure predispose the elderly to this problem. Along with these structural changes in the GU system the number of nephrons in the kidneys decreases dramatically following th e tone-beginning of adulthood. This decreased reserve capacity of the kidneys could cause what would otherwise be a regularly prescribed dose of medication to be an overdose in the elderly. The role of the kidneys to maintain the bodys water balance and regulate the concentration concord to the bodys need diminishes with age. Acute and chronic renal failure can affect many elderly in their later years.Patient Care of the elderly and the RadiographerBox 29-3 lists some quick tips for working with elderly. These tips are discussed in the stage settingfollowing the table.BOX 29-3 Tips for working with the elderly patientTake time to educate the patient and his or her familySpeak lower and closer deal the patient with dignity and respectGive the patient time to reside between projections and proceduresAvoid adhesive tape elderly skin is thin and fragileProvide warm blankets in cold examinations room white plague table pads and hand railsAlways access the patients medical narrative before contrast media is administeredPATIENT AND FAMILY EDUCATIONEducation about imaging procedures to obtain their confidence and compliance is crucial for all patients, especially for elderly patients. More time with the elderly patient may be necessary to accommodate their decreased ability to rapidly extremity information. The majority of elderly have been diagnosed with at least one chronic illness. They typically develop at the clinical imaging environment with a natural care because they are likely to have little knowledge of the procedure or the highly technical modalities employed for their procedures. Moreover, a fear concerning consequences resulting from the examination exacerbates their increase levels of anxiety. Taking time to educate patients and their families or significant caregivers in their abide system about the procedures makes for a less stressful experience and better patient compliance and satisfaction.COMMUNICATIONGood colloquy and listening skills work a connection between the radiographer and his or her patient. Older people are unique and should be treated with dignity and respect. Each elderly person is a wealth of cultural and historical knowledge that in put to work becomes a learning experience for the radiographer. If it is evident that they cannot hear or recognize verbal directions, it is appropriate to speak lower and closer. Background noise can be disrupting to an older person and should be eliminated if possible when giving very(prenominal) instructions. Giving instruction individually gives the elder person time to process your request. An empathetic, warm attitude and approach to the geriatric patient will result in a trusting and compliant patient.TRANSPORTATION AND LIFTINGBalance and coordination of the elderly patient can be affected by normal aging changes. Their anxiety about falling can be diminished by assist in and out of a wheelchair, and to and from the examination table. Many elderly have decreas ed height perception resulting from some degree of vision impairment. Hesitation of the elder person may be as a result of previous falls. Assisting them when there is a need to step up or down end-to-end the procedure is more than a calm gesture. Preventing opportunities for falls is a necessity for the radiographer. The elderly patient will often experience vertigo and dizziness when going from a recumbent horizon to a sitting position. Giving the patient time to rest between positions will mitigate these disturbing, frightening, and uncomfortable sensations. The use of table handgrips and proper assistance from the radiographer creates. A sense of security will result in a compliant and trusting patient throughout the imaging procedure.JCAHO CRITERIAThe Joint direction on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) is the accrediting and standards-setting body for hospitals, clinics, and other health care organizations in the United States. Employees in institution s accredited by the JCAHO must demonstrate age-based communication competencies, which intromit the elderly. The standards were adopted as a means of demonstrating competence in meeting the physiological and psychological needs of patients in special populations. These populations include infants, children, adolescents, and the elderly.Standard HR.5 of the Human Resources section of the JCAHO manual states, When appropriate, the hospital considers special needs and behaviors of specific age groups in defining qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of staff members who do not have clinical privileges but who have regular clinical contact with patient (for example radiologic technologist and mental health technicians). The intent of the standard is to ensure age-specific competency in technical and clinical matters but is not limited to equipment and technical performance. Knowledge of age-related changes and disease processes assist all the health care professionals, including those in the radiation sciences, in providing care that meets of the elderly patient. completionThe imaging professional will continue to see a change in the health care delivery system with the dramatic faux pas in the population of elderly persons over the age of 65. This shift in the general population is resulting in an ongoing increase in the number of medical imaging procedures performed on elderly patients. Demographic and social effects of aging determine the way in which the elderly adapt to and look on the process of aging. An individuals family size and perceptions of aging, economic resources, gender, race, ethnicity, social class, and the availability and delivery of health care will impact the quality of the aging experience. Biological age will be much more critical than chronological aging when determining the health status of the elderly. Healthier lifestyles and advancement in medical treatment will create a generation of successfully aging adults, which in turn should decrease the negative stereotyping of the elderly person. Attitudes of all health care professionals, whether positive or negative, will impact the care provided to the maturement elderly population. Education about the mental and physiological alterations associated with aging, along with the cultural, economical, and social influences accompanying aging, enables the radiographer to adapt imaging and therapeutic procedures to the elderly patients disabilities resulting from age related changes. The human body undergoes a multiplicity of physiological changes and failure in all organ systems. The aging experience is affected by heredity, lifestyle choices, physical health, and attitude, making it highly individualized. No one individuals aging process is predictable and is never exactly the same as that of any other individual. Radiologic technologist must use their knowledge, abilities, and skills to adjust imaging procedures to accommodate for disabilities and diseases en countered with geriatric patients. Safety and comfort of the patient is essential in maintaining compliance throughout imaging procedures. Implementation of skills such as communication, listening, sensitivity, and empathy all lead to patient compliance. The JCAHO, recognizing the importance of age-based communication competencies for the elderly, requires documentation of achievement of these skills by the employees of accredited health care organizations. Knowledge of age-related changes and disease processes will enhance the radiographers ability to provide diagnostic information and treatment in providing care that meets the needs of the increasing elderly patient population.