Health promotion and prevention project for elderly

Health promotion and prevention project for elderly With the longevity in life span well being at an elderly age is the major concern for the family and associates. Elderly are more susceptible to health and related problems moreover it becomes more devastating when they are not supported by family and children and are forced to live in old age homes. This not only inculcates emotional trauma but also makes them face malnutrition and related problems. This makes them victim of various diseases and chronic conditions lead to death and disability and thus weaken normal routine life and makes them dependable. It is therefore crucial that a health care worker or a nurse should take utmost care of them keeping the primary and secondary preventive measures in apprehension. Various studies have been conducted to formulate that about 45% of the US population is known to have one or more chronic illness and this illness account for 78% of all health care spending. It is estimated that longevity in women is more as compared to men, women of the age group 65- 85 relates to 80% of the chronic condition whereas only 33% of men of that age are known to have chronic illness (http://www. ahrq. gov/news/ulp/chronic/ulpchron1. htm).
Elderly are known to suffer from illness like Hypertension, Arthritis, Hearing impairment, Sinusitis, Orthopaedic impairments like replacement of knee joint, hip joint or accidents especially elderly population has more fall rate, Vision impairment, Heart disease, Hay fever, Cataracts. (http://hpi. georgetown. edu/agingsociety/pdfs/chronic. pdf).
As people live longer more concern is required for chronic illness since immunity to chronic illness cannot be developed (http://hpi. georgetown. edu/agingsociety/pdfs/chronic. pdf). It is a matter of great apprehension as the entire family is involved and associates have to change their lifestyles. People poor in income are more susceptible, most women of income range < $20, 000 suffer with arthritis (21%) and hypertension (17%) as compared to higher >$50, 000 income group (http://hpi. georgetown. edu/agingsociety/pdfs/chronic. pdf).
A visit to an elderly house reported that most of the elders are affected by chronic illness Arthritis (46%), Heart Disease (37%), hypertension (38%), Cancers (20%), Hearing Loss (28%), Cerebrovascular (10%), Heart conditions (28%), Pulmonary (5%), Chronic sinus (18%), Pneumonia and flu (5%), Visual loss (14%), Diabetes (3%), Bone problems (13%) and Accidents (2%). It is imperative to take utmost care regarding these chronic conditions. Therefore primary and secondary preventive measures must be implemented that encompass the biological origin of disease which is not clear for chronic diseases. As various questions stem out regarding these ailments. There is no reason why myocardial infarction begin with the fist pain or with the first arterial wall lesions, developed in youth There is no reason for the occurrence of cancer. (http://www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/pagerender. fcgiartid= 1424415&pageindex= 1). Some of the chronic conditions can be overruled by taking appropriate dietary intake to manage hypercholesterolemia, this is often called the ” primary prevention of heart disease” but prescription of diet especially for diabetes or prescription of drug for hypertension is sight to the treatment and hence the secondary prevention.
As malnutrition further causes various orthopaedic trauma injuries so it is the responsibility of the caretaker or nurse to take good care of the elders in the home and see that they should not suffer malnutrition and take good secondary medications for their illness. It is also known that malnutrition in elderly population is responsible for extended hospital stay so it is a matter of great concern.
(http://www. nursingcenter. com/library/JournalArticle. aspArticle_ID= 101854)
References:
http://www. cdc. gov/Women/lcod. htm
http://www. ahrq. gov/news/ulp/chronic/ulpchron1. htm
http://hpi. georgetown. edu/agingsociety/pdfs/chronic. pdf
http://www. cdc. gov/women/allstages. htm
http://www. pubmedcentral. nih. gov/pagerender. fcgiartid= 1424415&pageindex= 1
http://www. nursingcenter. com/library/JournalArticle. aspArticle_ID= 101854