Healthy Aging - Laraine Byzewski

1. Problems in Late Adulthood

1.1. Acute

1.1.1. Influenza/Pneumonia

1.1.2. Infection

1.1.3. Falls

1.1.4. Broken Bones more easily

1.1.5. Heart Attack

1.2. Chronic

1.2.1. Arthritis

1.2.2. Heart Disease

1.2.3. Cancer

1.2.4. Respiratory Disease (COPD)

1.2.5. Alzheimer's Disease

1.2.6. Osteroporosis

1.2.7. Diabetes

1.2.8. Obesity

1.2.9. Depression

1.3. Other

1.3.1. Hearing Impairements

1.3.2. General Weakness

1.3.3. Limited Mobility

1.3.4. Vision Difficulties

1.3.5. Memory decrease

2. Triage Nursing Guidelines

2.1. Airway

2.2. Breathing

2.3. Circulation

2.4. Disability

2.5. Dehydration

2.6. Exposure

3. There are always basic problems when it comes to aging. This could be loss of hearing, strength, mobility, memory and vision. These are general senses that usually decrease with age; however, there could be acute and chronic conditions that are more severe. Although chronic conditions may be more common in late adulthood, acute conditions may need more treatment right away. Since acute conditions are sudden and a reaction is present right away, it may be crucial to provide care. If a condition is chronic there is still time to catch the condition due to the fact that it is gradual and extends over a period of time. In late adulthood even something as small as a stubbed toe needs to be checked out for any further damage. In triage nursing there is the ABCDE approach to determine what to look for in an emergency situation. Airway, breathing, circulation, disability, dehydration, and exposure. If a patient comes into an emergency room the triage nurse has certain aspects to look for in order to determine if they need immediate attention. Chest wounds, shock, open fractures and third degree burns are all types of conditions in immediate categories. Minor burns, fractures, or bleeding are in the minimal category. Overall, those in late adulthood are more prone to injuries and physical problems. This is why it is crucial to determine their conditions and evaluate them on a regular basis.

4. Treatments & Assistive/Adaptive Tools

4.1. Assistive Tools

4.1.1. Wheelchairs

4.1.2. Walkers

4.1.3. Hearing Aids

4.1.4. Glasses

4.1.5. Memory aids

4.2. Treatments

4.2.1. Medicine

4.2.2. Therapy

4.2.3. Pain Management

4.2.4. Surgery

5. In this mindmap there are listed problems in late adulthood and factors that can threaten aging in late adulthood. Factors that threaten aging can be psychological, social, biological, and physical. Things such as stereotypes, lack of social relationships, inherited genes, and lack of physical activity can really influence how someone ages. This also relates to problems in late adulthood. More general types of problems are hearing loss, weakness, and memory difficulties. Then there are more severe problems that can be acute or chronic. These are problems such as falls, influenza, heart attacks which are all acute conditions. Then there are also chronic conditions like arthritis, cancer and so on. Even though there are factors and problems that threaten aging there are also solutions. Solutions for medical problems in late adulthood could be different types of treatments like medicine and therapy. Aside from just treatments there are also assistive tools that make daily life easier, like walkers and hearing aids. When it comes to preventing strategies for the threats of aging there are plenty of activities to do to live a healthy lifestyle. This can include physical activity, social activities etc. Since I am going into nursing there will be many people in late adulthood that may be in the hospital or nursing home. This information can help me give advice on how to maintain a healthier aging process, and give treatments in order to help tend to their health problems. There are plenty of people with depression who look at aging as a bad thing. If I come across a situation in my field where a person feels that way I will be able to help them understand more about aging and how it can be a positive experience.

6. Factors that Threaten Aging

6.1. Psychological

6.1.1. 1. Negative Attitude Toward Aging

6.1.2. 2. Stereotypes

6.1.3. 3. Mental Ilnesses

6.2. Social

6.2.1. 1. Lack of social relationships

6.2.2. 2. Lack of social activity

6.3. Biological

6.3.1. 1. Inherited Genes

6.3.2. 2. Diseases

6.4. Physical

6.4.1. 1. Lack of physical activity

6.4.2. 2. Unhealthy diet

7. Preventative Strategies

7.1. Eat a healthy balanced diet

7.2. Keep body physically and mentally active

7.3. Avoid smoking, drinking etc.

7.4. Have a more positive outlook on aging

7.5. Engage in more social activities

8. 1. There are many different factors that can threaten healthy aging in older adults. First there are psychological influences on whether or not someone ages better than another. There are many studies that show that people who have a more positive view on aging will live, on average, longer than those with a negative view of aging. In an Ohio study it was shown that attitudes toward aging don’t just affect mental health and memories, but affect physical health overall. Personality and attitude can influence physical and mental abilities while aging. Next, mental illness like depression and anxiety can really take a toll on physical and mental health. More than two million adults over the age of 65 suffer from depression Lastly, there is the stereotype threat. Adult aging has always come with stereotypes, and most of them are negative. These negative stereotypes can influence someone’s physical and mental health. In general, having a positive view on aging can help increase healthy aging and the longevity of life.

9. 2. The second types of factors the threaten aging are social factors. Although these factors may not seem very influential, lack of social activities and relationships can be very significant when it comes to aging. Social relationships have shown to have as much of an impact on physical healthy as blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, and obesity. Having negative or no social relationships at all can decrease age longevity by 50 percent. For older adults getting out and forming social relationships will really help improve health.

10. 3. Third is biological factors that may threaten healthy aging. Certain genes can lead to longer life, or shorter life depending on this genes of each individual person. Also depending on the genetics of an individual this can lead to different genetic diseases that may threaten how someone ages. Genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy are some of the most common types of disorders. These can affect one’s physical health which in result influences the aging process. There are not any ways to prevent the genetics one has received at birth; however, staying physically fit as possible despite any type of “bad” gene can help in prolonging aging in others.

11. 4. Lastly, there are plenty of physical factors that can threaten someone in healthy aging. Two of the main factors are lack of physical exercise and an unhealthy diet. Older adults should be physically active in some way every day. This will help them stay more independent, and will be able to do activities that they enjoy. Regularly exercising can also help reduce the risk of getting different diseases and disabilities. The same goes for regularly eating a healthy and nutritious diet.

12. In general, there are many factors that can threaten a healthy aging lifestyle. However, there are many strategies to help prevent those factors taking over. Psychologically remaining positive about aging and avoiding negative stereotypes is always helpful in aging. Next, remaining social and participating in social activities will help. Finally, remaining physically active while maintaining a healthy diet. This can also involve avoiding alcohol, smoking and other harmful substances. Using these tips and prevention strategies can help those in their late adulthood stay healthy and age well.

13. There are many different treatments and adaptive tools when it comes to problems. For general problems such as loss of hearing, mobility, memory, vision etc. there are many tools that can help assist when them. This includes wheelchairs and walkers, hearing aids, glasses and other basic tools that help those in late adulthood with their daily activities. When it comes to the more severe conditions there are also other treatments that can improve one’s condition. Doctor’s may prescribe medicine, or therapy. They may also suggest going to a pain management program. Surgery may be a last resort option for the most severe conditions. There are thousands of specific treatments for all the health conditions. For example, those with cancer may have the option of chemotherapy or stem cell transplant. Overall, there are plenty of treatments and tools for different conditions whether they are general every day conditions or more severe.

14. Resources http://www.apa.org/monitor/nov06/healthy.aspx http://www.asaging.org/blog/what-social-relationships-can-do-health http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/depression-older-adults-more-facts http://time.com/4083380/genes-linked-to-aging/ http://www.southsudanmedicaljournal.com/archive/may-2012/the-abcde-approach-triage-and-treatment.html http://www.diffen.com/difference/Acute_vs_Chronic http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/most-common-health-concerns-seniors/