The aging of the baby boomer generation along with the increasing longevity of life expectancies are evolving the demographics of the United States’ society. Older adults account for a much larger percentage of the population than ever before and it is expected that by 2030, one in every five Americans will be eligible for Medicare (Elder Workforce Alliance [EWA], 2012). As Americans are living longer they are also at a greater risk of chronic illness. This shift commands attention and analysis of our current health care system to better meet the needs of this growing population. Our current health care workforce is vastly under equipped to care for the rapidly aging senior population.
As they passed through the life cycle, these shortages soon became surpluses. An example being the collapse of the real estate market in the late1980’s (Sullivan). We can expect a large demand for retirement housing, elder care and finally the funeral industry as the Boomers continue their life cycle. Marketers have followed the boom generation for decades, producing items that appealed to them as children, teens and young adults. With more money in their pockets than time on their hands, today’s baby boomers are dining out at an all time high.
In a time in our society where the 'baby boomer' generation is approaching their mid 50's, and the number of elderly Americans is substantially increasing, we begin to ask ourselves if growing old has to mean being frail, confused, weak, fatigued and depressed. In many elderly people, the neuronal changes of aging are some of the hardest to deal with. Loss of mental acuity, confusion, forgetfulness and depression are some of the most common complaints about the aging process. Is there a way to avoid these neuronal changes, or at least to slow them down? If there is a 'fountain of youth' that medicine can provide then many Americans will be lining up to get a first try at its effects.
In 2012, in the UK there were 3 million people over 80 years old and, by 2037, this number is predicted to more than double to 6.1 million. This is creating a huge amount of pressure on the NHS, which will have to develop along with the aging population, in order to run the health system in original and effective ways. I believe this will be a major challenge of my career as; the older people are, the more likely they are to develop a disability or chronic illness. This is due to the fact that, as you age, your immune system starts to decay. The older you are, the more time you have had to come into contact with diseases.
Aging Awareness The process of aging begins at birth, or conception, depending on your stance, and continues throughout life. This is fact. Whatever your opinion, there is one inescapable certainty; throughout this meticulous process we call aging, comes change-- unsolicited, irrevocable, inevitable change. While many of the changes we face as we age are celebrated and embraced, not all change is desirable, and not all are pleasant. Some of the biggest changes humans experience in their lifetime occurs in late adulthood and into their senior years.
Introduction Aging has become a worldwide issue as attentions to health status of older populations increase. As people age, they face different situations that lead them to the current point, satisfaction and health or vise versa. Researchers have conducted and identified various reasons affecting the health of elders. For example, childlessness, marital status, unemployment, and poor social integration are all recognized risk factors that influence the quality of life of older populations. Childlessness has raised a great concern since 1990, as one in every five elders aged over 65 report not having children (Zhang & Hayward, 2001).
Elderly patients have a combination of and functional and social habits that support substance use. As adults age, they are often unable to do the social things they have been accustomed to. This is when many elderly persons begin to display problems doing the tasks of daily life. It is sometimes easy to take a pill provided it helps them continue to live independently. This desire to remain independent is an important part in the complex treatment plan that is established when it comes to assisting an elderly patient who is abusing their medication.
COPING WITH ALZHEIMER DISEASE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY 1 Introduction Many countries globally are faced with unprecedented demographic changes from high mortality and fertility to low mortality and fertility, giving rise to an ageing population. Population ageing is profound and enduring, and has major consequences and implications for all facets of human life. With a larger proportion of older people, one of the major concerns is health care. The health of older persons generally declines with age and some illness are more likely to be associated with older people. One of such illness is dementia.
It is associated with cognitive, emotional, and physical transformation (Sarma & Bhagawati, 2015). According to Sarma & Bhagawati (2015), there is an increase in the population of older adults worldwide. Very often they feel isolated and neglected from their own family and friends. As people get older they become more forgetful, many have dementia that made them loose their ability to comprehend the world around them. They live in their own reality and remembering the past may help boost their life satisfaction and decrease depression.
The elderly population has been increasing over the past decade and now with the baby boomers entering into this population it only applies more pressure to an ever increasing dilemma on how to improve their health. Sleep is essential to a person’s well being and cognitive function. Research studies have shown that there is significant decline in a person’s cognitive function when they do not receive an adequate night’s sleep. The secret to aging healthfully is getting enough sleep to allow the body to heal and rejuvenate from the day’s experiences and traumas. This paper is a review of the literature in response to sleep and its effects on cognitive function in the elderly population with a brief discussion on nursing implications.