Effects of aging within the human lifecycle

Introduction

In the process of human life cycle we cannot deny that we will get to the process of aging. The process is inevitable, we may not control it but it’s up to us on how we prolong our Lives. As we grow old and become and elderly we will encounter a lot of problems and issues especially on our health so we need people to help us with our activities of daily living. Majority of geriatric or elderly clients seeks primary health care thru the government and their families. Nursing homes, health homes and other facilities that care for elderly clients had sprouted to give support and care.

By helping these clients we must first build a support team to help plan their personal care plan. It is consist of a geriatrician, pharmacists, physical therapist, mental health social worker, and community –based service to help develop a plan that is suitable for the clients. The team will meet together, discuss and modify the plan. Collaborating the personal care plan and the clients goal, the team will then implement the plan together with the support of the medical team and the clients family and the plan will be evaluated on how effective these intervention and how satisfied the clients are with the said plan.

Emotional Support

Dementia gets used a lot when dealing with elderly clients and in talking about aging and certain diseases. The common mistake that people see in dementia is a disease itself. However, dementia is a set of symptoms, which caused by a number of disorders.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia other factors that might cause dementia are brain damage from an accident which causes brain injury, stroke, Lewy body dementia and huntington’s disease.

Most of our common mistakes about elderly and dementia is that we assume that whenever we notice that an elderly memory slips we tend to jump in a wrong conclusion that its an early sign of dementia but that is normal as we start aging some of our memory loss as we age. To be able to know if its dementia there must be symptoms that interfere with the clients daily life and its affects more than one category of the brain function like memory, the language, the communication, the logic and judgement.

There are stages of dementia which medical team used to serve as a guide in dealing with geriatric clients. Clinical Dementia Rating is used by professionals to evaluate the progression of symptoms in clients with dementia.

The first stage of dementia is called Clinical Dementia Rating -0 or No impairment. Stage on of dementia represents no impairments in person abilities, they have no significant memory problems, they are fully oriented in place and time, they have normal judgement and they can still function well and able to take care of their personal needs. However, the second stage of dementia has minor memory inconsistencies. They might have difficulty in solving challenging problems and have a slight trouble with timing. They are risk in slipping at work or active social sports. But in this stage of dementia they are able to manage their own personal care without any help.

As a client’s advocate in helping these geriatrics with dementia it is up to us to assess their emotions and to guide them with their decision. We involve them together with their families and their attorney’s to have a proper decision and to pay respect with the clients will. In the early stage of dementia of a client it is best to orient them every day and make them aware of what is happening around them. By orienting them to reality and by giving reassurance of the need and care they get in the facility. Whenever the client needs emotional support it is best to talk to them and let them express their feeling but avoid having counter transference with the client. Give empathy to avoid attachments, care them as your own love ones but avoid having counter transference because this might cause problems when helping them with their emotional support.

For the decision making it is best to assess and ask permission to the client and involve their families, love ones and attorneys. By doing this we avoid such conflicts in the end. It’s best to be an advocate and guide your client to the best you can give to care for them and to protect them.

Geriatrics Support Orgaization

1. Alzheimers New Zealand

Alzheimer’s New Zealand Incorporated is a non-profit organisation with twenty one Alzheimer’s member organisations located throughout the country that provide support, information, education programmes and services appropriate to their local community. There services includes to support for spouses, partners, families and friends coping with the demands of caring. Informing and educating the diagnosis and assessment to assist clients. Giving information to help clients cope with financial challenges and provide support. Befriending services and day programmes for people with dementia.

2. Carers New Zealand

This organization offers links to much organization that offers local support to carers and their families.

3. Grey Power

An advocacy organization promoting the welfare and well-being of the entire elderly citizens. This organization voice out for all New Zealanders. They support and protect the welfare and wellbeing of older people. Gives quality health care, promote wide range of services to the senior citizen and to be the voice of elderly New Zealanders.

4. Health and Disability Advocacy

This organisation act as an independent advocate to assist people with making sure their rights are being practice and respected. Helping clients to resolve their complaints about health or disability services.

5. Age Concern

This organisation is committed to promote well-being, practice the rights of the client and respect and gives dignity to elderly people. This organisation provides services, information, and support to elderly people in response to local needs.

Service Provision for Elderly

1. Hospital

Elderly people under the umbrella of treatment health is a must because elderly are fragile. The expertise and specialist care for geriatric clients in the hospital is best for them. The staffs are fully aware and understand the particular needs of elderly they also recognize the importance of interaction between both physical and mental capacity of the elderly and taking consideration of their emotion and the family for clients wellbeing. Hospital provides quality care for the clients health.

2. Residential Care

A home for elderly where they can live together with the help of health support workers. It is a home where elderly can be monitored can cared twenty four hours a day and seven days a week. They can also do their activities of daily living with the help of caregivers.

3. Dieticians

Elderly are fragile to foods, they must not be underweight or overweight they must maintain healthy diet to avoid getting sick. Dieticians are the one responsible for elderly’s everyday intake and the nutrient that they get from the food. It is best that prevention is better than cure.

4. GP

They are the one’s responsible to the health of the clients. Whenever the clients get sick or get complication with their health it is the GP’s job to monitor and asses the client’s health together also with the health team as that takes care of the client.

5. Pharmacists

They are the one’s responsible in dispensing the clients medication. They practice the five R’s which is a must. Right patient, the right drug, the right route, the right timing and the right dosage. It is their responsibility to know the proper ways to give for the clients.

6. Occupational Therapists

These are people responsible for the clients activities for daily living. They make plans for the clients to be active and alert despite of their aging process.

Conclusion

We may get old because we cannot handle certain things that is in the process of human life but by working together we can prolong our lives.

For geriatric clients and with their health conditions it is best to work with other health care professionals that are involved with the client to be able to assess the proper way in dealing with them and it is also best to make their families involved with the care we introduce to their love one’s. Depression and emotions starts whenever the client is being isolated, social activities, exercise and religious groups are important factors to lessen depression of the client. Expose them to active groups and let them feel the belongingness to help aid their aging health.