Case Study Gerontology

The most prominent population within any healthcare facility is the geriatric patients. According to Griffin (2011), “While people older than age 65 represent 12 percent of the U.S. population, this group consumes one-third of healthcare services and occupies one-half of all physicians time”. Thus, every healthcare worker should have some degree of training in geriatrics for proper management. The aging population requires additional services in order to recover and live a better quality of life. Understanding gerontology is important considering we cannot treat every patient as if they are the same. With a growing aging population it is best to have geriatrics knowledge and skills so that the outcomes of care improve. As a future respiratory

Malin (2011) explains that:

Pneumonia in old age is more frequent, severe and associated with a high mortality. This is due to multiple factors. Aging leads to organ system dysfunction, particularly respiratory, gastrointestinal and immuno-logical senescence. Sputum clearance is less effective, risk of aspiration increased and there is an overall decline in lymphocyte, neutrophil, NK cell and antigen presenting cell

For those with advanced heart failure, up to 90% will pass away within one year. About 5.8 million people in the US are living with progressive congestive heart failure. In the elderly population, those over the age of 65, there are about 900,000 yearly admissions to the hospital for heart failure in the United States.”

Congestive heart failure is the most common cause of cardiogenic pulmonary edema. During a physical assessment these patients tend to have cheyne-stokes breathing, cyanosis, dyspnea, and pink frothy secretions. Upon auscultation, crackles, rhonchi or wheezing are noted. In severe pulmonary edema an arterial blood gas shows the patient to be in respiratory failure. CHF patients are usually prone to further pulmonary issues such as obstructive sleep apnea and pleural effusions. An elderly patient portraying these signs and symptoms increases their