Week One Journal
Upon preparation for another exciting semester, I have reflected upon application of an aging theory to help guide the clinical experience.
Erikson's theory of aging adaptation will be applied to this semester and journal entry. According to Erikson, people transition through "life stages" and face "conflicts" (Wilkinson, 2013, p. 1109). According to this theory, elderly individuals will face the challenges associated with integrity versus despair. This theory serves as an ideal framework to base the semester's learning because it specifically relates to the core competencies of an adult-gerontology advanced practice program and course objectives. As a student, it is critical to recognize how the body and mind will adjust
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Goals for the care of the frail elder this semester will include the development of a knowledge base related to the aging process, recognition of disease/ debility, and preventative guidelines for this patient population. Other goals will include increasing my knowledge base related to conditions that place elderly patients at risk for frailty, morbidity, and mortality. These goals are integrated throughout the core competencies that support health promotion and disease prevention (The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, 2010). Moreover building on previously accomplished goals, this semester will add insight related to understanding how to apply the scientific knowledge base and evidence-based guidelines to gerontology. Specific geriatric competencies to help meet these goals will include differentiation between disease and the normal aging process. Identification of common alterations in the elderly. I will establish a foundation for safe prescribing. I will learning about the socioeconomic challenges elderly patients face is another objective. These objectives will be met by completing all of the required coursework, clinical practicum experience, and continual search and review of the research. These measurable outcomes will be evaluated upon completion of the
Touhy, T. A., Jett, K. F., Boscart, V., & McCleary, L. (october 2011). Ebersole and Hess Gerontological Nursing and Healthy Aging (1st canadian edition ed.). Retrieved from
Aging is the process by which the human body undergoes changes and maturation over time, mainly because dead cells are not replaced in sufficient amounts to maintain optimum performance. In addition, changes in behavior are expected, (Gall, Beins, and Feldman, 2001). Due to the distinctive physical and psychological changes, this period of life can be one of much confusion for the elderly. Fortunately, technological advances in medicine and lifestyles have made life expectancy increase significantly since the fifties to the present, (Hiller & Barrow, 2011). For this project I used a phenomenology method. Phenomenology is the study of life events as they appear in the consciousness of a person or group of people; moreover is the study of experiences as they come to pass in our lives, (Desjarlais & Throop, 2011). This paper aims to analyze, visualize and illustrate various aspects of aging from the point of view of older adults.
It is a fact; the older adult population is living longer. While many older adults are fit and healthy, others are frail and weak requiring necessary medication. It is more important than ever for all of the healthcare community to be conscious of safe prescribing and the proper use of medicine when taking care of older adults.
Houde, S., & Melillo, K. (2009). Caring for an aging population. Journal Of Gerontological Nursing, 35(12), 9-13. doi:10.3928/00989134-20091103-04
An interview was arranged with an older adult to discuss issues related to aging. The interview was designed to gain appreciation and understanding of an older adult. One theory of aging came into mind when I thought about this topic. Erik Erikson Life-Course and Personality Development theory, “Erikson described the task of old age as balancing the search for integrity and wholeness with a sense of despair.” NS is the older adult that I conducted the interview with. I’ve decided to pick NS to interview because she is very positive about life and her age. Everything that I have come across about aging is negative such as depression, isolation, and illness.
...th professionals, were significantly more cynical toward and distrustful of older adults” (p. 63). The findings in Meisner’s (2012) conveyed that physicians demonstrated attitudes about older patients including feelings of these individuals being “disengaged and unproductive” while assuming that these characteristics applied to all of the older patients regardless of each person’s actual abilities (p. 63). Combing all older adults into one category defined by disability and dysfunction is detrimental to the well-being of each patient. Chronological age is not the determining factor relative to treatment; functional age is a better testament to expected outcomes for a patient. It is imperative that physicians understand what is “normal aging” rather than searching for pathologies based on symptoms that are just part of this aging process. According to Meisner
older adults. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(6), 269-271. Retrieved from CINAHL Plus with Full Text database.
Kick, Ella. "Overview: Health Care and the Aging Population: What Are Today's Challenges?" The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. N.p., n.d. Web.
I decided to compare and contrast the elderly and college students, not to show ageism, but to see the similarities and differences in their lives. To observe students I went to Ventura College and to elderly home observed how both groups interacted in certain areas I concentrated on transportation, workforce, friendships, dependency, and time management, their lifestyles, dress style, diet, education and attitude towards life.
Society and medical care professionals are inundated with diseases that have caused death 50 or100 years ago. Advancements in science and technology is prolonging life expectancy for people. The National Institute of Aging focuses on health illness in the aging population and how research and studies can provide better quality of life for the extended years of life. The organization is headed by two offices and division that are designed to address specific areas of the aging population.
Older adults are a very knowledgeable population and have had a lot of life experiences. As people age, things start to change physically, mentally, and socially. It’s important to understand the process of aging, so that older adults can be taken care of properly. I interviewed P.R. who is a 71-year-old male that lives alone in his home. P.R. is a retired coal miner, and is currently living off his social security and savings. He lives close to both his daughter and son, who frequently help him out with things that are needed. P.R. was able to give me a lot of insight about specific challenges that he has experienced in his life that is associated with aging. I will be discussing challenges that P.R experienced physically, mentally,
Norman’s character exposed the prevalence of exasperated and obstinate personalities in older adults, which could be manifestations of their frustrations with age-related changes and other significant health problems. As a nurse, this insight motivates me to be more tolerant and compassionate when a patient is difficult and has frequent angry outbursts. Moreover, the movie dissipates specific myths of aging as identified by Miller (2015) such as that “people consider themselves old on their 65th birthday” (p. 10), “older adulthood is something to be dreaded because it represents disability and death” (p. 10), “by the age of 70 years, an individual’s psychosocial growth is complete” (p. 10), and “in today’s society, families no longer care for older people” (p. 10). Ethel, who was in her mid-60’s still considered herself to be middle-aged and appeared to be always cheerful and hopeful about her future with her husband. Moreover, even at 80, Norman was still developing and going through psychosocial growth as he bonded with Billy and reconnected with his daughter. Lastly, the movie portrayed how an older couple, while functioning independently, still supports each other with the help of other family members. Through this movie, I recognized that different people adapt and age in diverse ways. Hence, it is my responsibility as a nurse to understand and be sensitive about the older adult’s own feelings and perceptions of
Aging brings on the experience of senescence a process of aging. This is a time where the body begins to become a bit weaker and less efficient. (Berger, 2014, p.576) Interestingly enough the physiological factors of aging actually protects adults. The heart and lung begin to lose the reserve capacity each part of the body begins to accommodate the changes that are happening in the other parts of the body. Whether or not a person is old or young the lungs still maintain the oxygen capacity. The brain does however slow down with age and even shrink a bit, but most of the time this goes unnoticed. If there are any severe losses before the age of 65 most often it is attributed to one of these four factors; drug abuse, poor circulation, viruses and genes. The outward appearance also changes skin becomes more wrinkled (unless of course you try Botox regularly) and hair gets grayer and thinner along with may other things. (p.579) The body senses begin to compensate for each other the sight with the hearing and the taste with the smelling. After age 50, it is almost impossible to be able to reproduce without extra hormones. Besides sexual arousal usually begins to slow down or even stop at or after age 60. (p.580-581)
The biological theories of aging support categorizing individuals according to chronological age as they take into account the common physiologic changes that appear as an adult ages. For example, the gene theory suggests that each cell, or whole person, has an inherent aging code that already knows the age at which the cell will no longer function (Lange & Grossman, 2014, p. 80). Some sociological theories of aging enforce the categorizing of older adults, such as the age stratification theory. This theory separates the categories according to the historical context in which the group develops postulating that each generation has different ideologies, attitudes, and values, as well as, expectations of aging (Lange & Grossman, 2014, p. 70).
Aging and being old was dominated by negative characteristics and conditions such as illness, depression, and isolation for a long time (Eibach, Mock, & Courtney, 2010). At first glance the terms “success” and “aging” seem to be in conflict to each other. When asking people about aging, their answers have many facets that are also found in psychological definitions: successful aging is seen as health, maturity and personal growth, self-acceptance, happiness, generativity, coping, and acceptance of age-related limitations. In the psychological sense successful aging is also often seen as the absence of age-associated characteristics (Strawbridge, Wallhagen, & Cohen, 2002). It seems that successful aging means is not aging.