Current Situation
The Geriatric Flying Squad [GFS] is a multidisciplinary service for older people living in the community that are experiencing a sub-acute functional. Poor sleep hygiene is a common complaint which often presents a major barrier for improving clients well-being and one that many regard as the most important to improve. “Difficulty sleeping is a symptom that should be taken seriously…because its negative impact on quality of life, physiological and psychological illness and associated use of sleeping medicines…has now been recognized as a global priority by the World Health Organization (Byles, Mishra, Harris & Nair, 2003, p. 160). Generally, older people find it harder to get to sleep, have a lighter sleep, wake more frequently, sleep for less time and spend more time in bed but sleep less (Alessi & Mitty, 2009; Cochen et al., 2009; Morin, Mimeault & Gagne, 1999; Townsend-Roccichellie et al., 2007; Whitbourne, 1999;). Poor sleep increases the risk of falls, difficulty with concentration and memory, increases the reports of depression and anxiety, increase medical morbidity and overall decreased quality of life (Ancoli-Isreal, Ayalon & Salzman, 2008). Many of our clients are not aware of strategies they can implement to improve their sleep.
Ideal Situation
Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe good sleep habits that promote the best chance of a good refreshing sleep (Sleep Health Foundation, 2014b). Getting adequate sleep has a significant positive impact on daily function, alertness and quality of life (Dew et al., 2003; Goolsby, 2006 as cited in Townsend-Roccichellie et al, 2007).
There are many health promoting practical, everyday interventions that the older person can implement to avoid the health impl...
... middle of paper ...
... taking them for over 6 months (Australian Bureau of Statistics, as cited in Byles et al., 2003). Long-term use of medication is ineffective, has side effects and increases dependency (Morin & Wooten, as cited in Morin et al., 1999).
Week 6 – Individualized sessions with MDT, feedback, evaluation
The final session will include a review and feedback with the participants. This will include discussion of their sleep diary, benefits and/or changes they have noticed throughout the program. It will also provide an opportunity to assess if further professional input would be beneficial and arrange for referrals if needed. Participants will be offered a one-on-one session with the multidisciplinary team to discuss concerns. For example, if a participant had ongoing issues with snoring it would be appropriate to refer them to a sleep specialist for medical review.
To deal with the issue of an aging population, an awareness campaign about the health issues that commonly affect aged people should be run by the government and non-governmental agencies. In addition, awareness should be created among the young to accommodate the elderly; at home as well as at work places...
According to the Healthy People Database, in 2010 the aging population was estimated at 40 million, this number is expected rise to nearly 70 million by the year 2030 (National Center for Health Statistics, 2000). At the forefront of health concerns for this aging population will be the intervention, management and treatment of chronic diseases. This increase in both this specific population as well as the required medical care will place a significant amount of stress on an already distressed healthcare system, which in turn will affect the availability of recourses and costs. Including patients in their self care with strategic health promotion such as encouragement and education geared towards specific socioeconomic groups will be more cost effective and beneficial in the management of chronic disease. Studies indicate that patients involved in self management of disease processes often have better patient outcomes.
The goal of the Healthy People 2020 initiative is to “improve the health, function, and quality of life of older adults.” (Healthy People, 2015) Regardless of age, everyone is a unique individual, with the same range of values, gifts and flaws as any other person. Young nurses need to help aging people keep their autonomy as long as possible by not doing things for them that they can do for themselves. As nurses, our ultimate goal should be to expand training and research opportunities in this area and eliminate ageism in all facets.
This article has shown me that new strategies are needed to reduce sleep disturbances, improve sleep quality, and support the need for supplemental daytime sleep in hospitalized individuals. These strategies include monitoring patients’ sleep and assess quality of sleep and duration, resolving the problems of sleep disturbance, recognizing that nighttime noise, light, and other factors potentially interfere with patient sleep, minimize lighting in shared patient rooms and turn off lights earlier at night, frequently assess for pain and administer prescribed pain medications to minimize sleep disruption. This article taught me more about sleep cycles and disturbances in hospitalized patients. As a future nurse, I have to accurately assess the patients’ personal characteristics and health education needs, and share this knowledge with my classmates.
Successful Aging Elderly (SAE) Introduction In the elderly population most of the research carried out so far emphasizes on the functional problems and diseases. When it comes to successful aging elderly (SEA), it has been recommended that health status should be used to distinguish between elderly subgroups and disease-free people who can describe successful aging elderly (SAE). The research papers aims to describe a transitory overview of successful aging elderly research, illustrated in their chief sections: cognitive aspects, psychological and social aspects. It is proposed that future studies will unemployment an extensive demonstration of SAE, where the emphasis will be more on biological, health and cognitive perspectives.
There are three essential components to ageing gracefully and successfully; ‘low probability of disease and disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity and active engagement with life.’ (Edwards, 2011) It is recommended that people aged over 65 require adequate fitness levels so that they can ‘maintain their independence, recover from any illnesses and also prevent disease.’ (Better Health Channel, 2014) This essay investigates how staying active in later life will improve the health and well-being of older people by unpacking the health benefits to physical activity later in life as well as how this activity contributes to improving health and wellness. It is said that healthy ageing should ideally start in childhood and be
Elderly, 1991. American Journal of Public Health, 84(8), 1265. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.
According to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, there will be a need for assistance with activities of daily living (ADL's) increases dramatically with age. Only 2.6 percent of person’s age 65-74 need assistance with personal care compared with 31.6
...an, L., Nadaraja, D., Onen, F., & Richards, K. C. (2011). Perceived effectiveness of diverse sleep treatments in older adults. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, 59(2), 297-303. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03247.x
Central idea : Sleep is vital to our health and well-being throughout our life, therefore, in order to protect our mental and physical health, quality of life, and safety, we must get an enough quality sleep at the right times.
Sleep and Sleep Disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 July 2013. Web. 7 May 2014. .
The goal of sleep hygiene is to provide an outline of behaviors that promote sleep and behaviors that inhibit sleep. The behaviors that sleep hygiene recommends include being on a sleep schedule, going outside, having relaxing routines, exercising daily, and creating a comfortable sleep environment. The behaviors that sleep hygiene does not recommend are napping, using nicotine, caffeine, or alcohol, eating too much or too little, using electronics in bed, and lying in bed awake. Stimulus control supports many of these suggestions and emphasizes associating the bed with sleep using a classical conditioning approach. The main features of stimulus control involve limiting activities performed in bed, going to bed when tired, and making the environment comfortable and conducive to
“Twelve Simple Tips to Improve Your Sleep.” (2009, Dec. 18). The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Healthy
The natural process of aging is inevitable and we cannot escape it. The deterioration in health is associated with many factors like genetics and the environment. However, there are precautions and preventative steps we can take to help age healthier. Not smoking can prevent premature wrinkles and some sagging of the skin. A healthier diet and exercise can help maintain a lower weigh and keep your heart healthy. Taking supplements and vitamins can help the body when it’s difficult to receive there from your diet. When a person is not getting enough calcium from their diet they may resort to calcium supplements that can help with bone density loss. Everyone dreads getting old, but being well informed and taking preventative care can help with affect the changes of age.
Aged care is becoming such a huge part of our health system and society in general. It is so important that we come to an understanding on not only how it affects the community and society that we live in but the requirements that need to be met in order to care for older adults. Throughout this paper, we will discuss active ageing and the cultural, physical, economic and social well-being of older adults, as well as the affect that community as on the older population and visa-vasa. Accompanying this essay is a flyer that well be used to define active ageing, why it is important to individuals and the community. It is important to understand what active ageing is and that health is measured by more than just physical