When I originally started this class, I was apprehensive that I would learn a lot about aging. However, I am happy to say that I have learned so much more about aging than I anticipated. This class has changed my view of aging, although some views have stayed the same. I am still not scared about dying or the idea of death, I am more scared however about aging. Before I took this class, I wrote about the fear I faced in relation to the loss of independence that will come with ageing. After taking this class, I am still dreading this loss of independence, but am encouraged to do as much as I can for myself, for as long as I can. I take comfort in the types of long term care options that are available. Before this class I assumed that all long-term care would almost completely strip the resident of …show more content…
I know that as a straight, white female I am privileged in many ways, I did not think that this would change how I experience aging when compared to someone with a different ethnic background or sexual identity. I am most thankful for this class for teaching me that each aging experience is different and some groups are subjected to more difficulties or experience drastically different situations that I may never have to face because of my background. Before I started this class I was worried about the social stigmas that come with aging. After taking this class, I feel I contributed to those stigmas and held some of them as true. I was wrong, after taking this class I have a greater understanding of the elderly and the aging process. This understanding equips me with the empathy to see why elders may act or say the things they do. I would encourage anyone who does not have some knowledge of the aging process or how difficult and scary being an elderly can be, to do some research before labeling elderly people as rude or impatient
Stone, R.I & Wiener, J. M. (2001). Who Will Care For Us? Addressing the Long-Term Care Workforce Crisis. The Urban Institute.
This paper will review the many aspects of long-term care problems and many challenges there are within Long-Term care. We will look at rising costs within long-Term Care, patient abuse, will look at the quality of life, shortages of nurses and demand that the elderly are putting on the medical field. The type of care that Long-Term Care had been giving to its patients and the changes within Long-Term Care.
So in conclusion, in this course I am looking forward to learning all about gerontology, how older adults function and how they feel when they are in those situations listed above.
If an older individual is not given the proper care in an assisted living home, it will damage the well being of the individual. “Resident independence with ADLs
(2007) found that at six months decline of independence was significantly less likely in a community hospital setting because they elderly has round the clock access to rehabilitation. Some of the main advantage the researchers found was advanced care and timely access. Timely access is important for the elderly who have varying illnesses and injuries because the faster they can get help, the faster the recovery. Young et al. stated that many elderly are discharged before they are fully recovered and that can lead to a decline of personal well-being.
Houde, S., & Melillo, K. (2009). Caring for an aging population. Journal Of Gerontological Nursing, 35(12), 9-13. doi:10.3928/00989134-20091103-04
Upon growing older there are many decisions to be made. Among one of the most difficult and perhaps most important decisions is where the elder person will live and how long-term care needs will be met when he/she is no longer capable of doing so independently due to the incapacity that accompanies many with old age. Nursing homes seem to be the popular choice for people no matter the race, gender, or socioeconomic status with 1.5 million Americans being admitted to them yearly.[3] Because nursing homes are in such a high demand and are not cheap, $77.9 billion was spent for nursing home care in the United States in 2010 alone, they are under criticism of many professions including the legal profession, which is in the process of establishing elder law as a defense to issues with in the elder community. Nursing homes have a duty to provide many things to the elderly including medical, social, pharmaceutical, and dietary services so that the individual may maintain the highest well-being possible.[4] Stated another way 'a nursing facility must care for its residents in such a manner and in such an environment as will promote maintenance or enhancement of the q...
The long-term care system consists of an integrated continuum of many institutional and non-institutional providers who deliver extended care when needed. Long-term care providers deliver a variety of care to individuals with chronic, mobility and/or cognitive impairments/limitations. These providers include: nursing facilities, sub acute care, assisted living, residential care, elderly housing options and community based adult services (Pratt, 2010). A great majority of these providers are already taking care of the many baby boomers that are present today and will be present in the future. “Baby boomers” are individuals who were born between the years 1946-1964. Since 2011, every day 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 years old (Pratt, 2010). This
No one ever expects to live out his or her later years in life in a nursing home. When people are young they may not realize the obstacles in life that may cause them not to have a place or person to spend their older years in life with. Regrettably, many of the elderly are not treated with the care and respect they deserve. “Poor quality of care is endemic in many nursing homes” (Fernandez, 2011). It is the responsibility of the younger generation to make sure that the elderly are taken care of and that neglect does not happen. Nursing homes have too many patients and not enough care-givers compared to home care that has familiar one on one care. Home-based
Sturdy, D. (2007) Indignity in care: are you responsible? Nurs Older People. 2007; 19(9): 9.
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,
"Who does a son turn to, when his 78 year-old mother, newly admitted to a nursing home’s rehab unit, is experiencing delusions and screams through the night? Or where does a daughter turn to for help when she notices a rapid decline in her mother’s health and her mother refuses to seek medical care? Or the gentleman who believes it is time to a continuing care retirement community, but has no one to advise him on the myriad of financial and lifestyle implications of such a move? (Lederman, 2012)." Within in the field of home health care, ecological system creates an outline for defining what it means to provide quality care to the elderly.
This posting is about the elderly and their reminiscence of their own life. Throughout the post, I will discuss some of the difficulties I have experienced in providing care for the elderly. Furthermore, I will describe my own thoughts and feelings about the required video and what changes I will include in my nursing practice after watching the video.
When I originally signed up for this course, I was uneasy about it. Talking about death has always made me feel anxious, as it does with most people in our society. However, over the course of the semester, I’ve learned that not only is it okay to talk about death and dying, but it also makes me feel less anxious about death. Things that I have learned in this course will help me in many ways in both my professional and personal life.
After having attained a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology and a Master’s degree in Gerontology, I felt I should gain some first-hand experience in physical therapy and thus volunteered to work as a caregiver in a reputed Evergreen rehabilitation center Ga. However, while working as a caregiver I realized I needed to learn much more in order to provide better care in meeting the psychological and physical caring needs of the elderly. I have always had the inherent desire to serve the elderly in reducing their hardships and providing them with the much needed physical and psychological support so that they can lead a happy and trouble-free life.