This post is about elderly and the risks that make them be a vulnerable group in our society. I will discuss the causes that put elderly at risk and solutions to avoid some of those risks.
Our nation is experiencing an increased growth in the older adult population, this brings the concern for their well-being since they are usually at risk for injuries and poor health in general. The elderly often have decreased and impaired mobility, visual or hearing deficit, numerous chronic health conditions, social and economic disadvantages, all of this can put them at risk for falls and injuries, poor nutrition, depression, skin ulcers, incontinence, not being able to afford medication, and inability to live independently.
According to Tabloski (2014), …show more content…
The elderly often complain of muscle and joint pain due to the development of debilitating musculoskeletal conditions such as – arthritis, osteoporosis, gout, etc., that decreases their mobility and enables them to be independent and take care of themselves (Tabloski, 2014). All of these leads to be dependent on others for help which increases the risk for falls and injury if help is not available when they may need it.
At any point in our life, we may be at risk for falls, sometimes due to environment or weather changes, but with the elderly it is more frequent and may lead to life-threatening injuries (Ignasiek, Skrzek, Kozia, Slavinska, Posluszny, & Rozek, 2015). According to Ignasiek et al. (2015), there have been many studies done in regards to risks of falls in the elderly population. The conclusion to most of the studies was decreased mobility due to chronic diseases that was putting older adults at risk for …show more content…
According to Tabloski (2014), it is very important for nurses to obtain accurate medication list upon admission to the hospital or long-term facility. Having the pharmacist reviewing the medication list may be beneficial to avoid medication error. Educating our patients on when to take their medication and why are they taking it may prevent medication error.
In conclusion, since the main priority for nurses is to keep our patients safe, our job is to educate our patients, whether that is on medication use, preventing falls, skin care, or proper nutrition, we play a big role when it comes to our patients’ safety.
Reference
Ignasiak, Z., Skrzek, A., Kozieł, S., Sławińska, T., Posłuszny, P., & Rożek, K. (2015). The risk for falls in older people in the context of objective functional studies. Anthropological Review, 78(3), 337-346. doi:10.1515/anre-2015-0026
Strupeit, S., Meyer, S., Buss, A., Gräske, J., Worch, A., & Wolf-Ostermann, K. (2014). Influence of living situation on vulnerable elderly: Focus on nutritional status. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 18(9), 787-791.
Our nation is experiencing an increased growth in the older adult population, this brings the concern for their well-being since they are usually at risk for injuries and poor health in general. The elderly often have decreased and impaired mobility, visual or hearing deficit, numerous chronic health conditions, social and economic disadvantages, all of this can put them at risk for falls and injuries, poor nutrition, depression, skin ulcers, incontinence, not being able to afford medication, and inability to live independently.
According to Tabloski (2014), …show more content…
The elderly often complain of muscle and joint pain due to the development of debilitating musculoskeletal conditions such as – arthritis, osteoporosis, gout, etc., that decreases their mobility and enables them to be independent and take care of themselves (Tabloski, 2014). All of these leads to be dependent on others for help which increases the risk for falls and injury if help is not available when they may need it.
At any point in our life, we may be at risk for falls, sometimes due to environment or weather changes, but with the elderly it is more frequent and may lead to life-threatening injuries (Ignasiek, Skrzek, Kozia, Slavinska, Posluszny, & Rozek, 2015). According to Ignasiek et al. (2015), there have been many studies done in regards to risks of falls in the elderly population. The conclusion to most of the studies was decreased mobility due to chronic diseases that was putting older adults at risk for …show more content…
According to Tabloski (2014), it is very important for nurses to obtain accurate medication list upon admission to the hospital or long-term facility. Having the pharmacist reviewing the medication list may be beneficial to avoid medication error. Educating our patients on when to take their medication and why are they taking it may prevent medication error.
In conclusion, since the main priority for nurses is to keep our patients safe, our job is to educate our patients, whether that is on medication use, preventing falls, skin care, or proper nutrition, we play a big role when it comes to our patients’ safety.
Reference
Ignasiak, Z., Skrzek, A., Kozieł, S., Sławińska, T., Posłuszny, P., & Rożek, K. (2015). The risk for falls in older people in the context of objective functional studies. Anthropological Review, 78(3), 337-346. doi:10.1515/anre-2015-0026
Strupeit, S., Meyer, S., Buss, A., Gräske, J., Worch, A., & Wolf-Ostermann, K. (2014). Influence of living situation on vulnerable elderly: Focus on nutritional status. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 18(9), 787-791.