Groups that have a higher risk of becoming vulnerable include, children, people with learning and physical disabilities, people suffering with mental health problems, chronically ill people and the elderly. Age concern (1986) defines vulnerability in the elderly as ‘people in need of some support, help and/or advice in order to prevent personal or social deterioration or breakdown. Without this their level of dependency on others or their ability to manage their lives as they wish, might deteriorate to the point of necessitating their removal to institutional care, which is not their preferred option and might otherwise be prevented or postponed (page 11).’ This statement is proven in my clinical experience. Whilst on placement on a busy acute medical ward, at a local hospital, I helped to care for an elderly lady, whom I shall refer to as Mrs Berry. Mrs Berry was 87 and had been admitted to hospital following a fall
· brain defects or injury: Defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses. · prenatal damage: Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early fetal brain development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth -- for example, loss of oxygen to the brain -- may be a factor in the development of certain conditions, such as autism. · substance abuse: Long-term substance abuse, in particular, has been linked to anxiety, depression, and paranoia. · other factors: Poor nutrition[->1] and exposure to toxins, such as lead, may play a role in the development of mental illnesses. PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS: · severe trauma suffered as a child, such as emotional, physical or sexual abuse.
Abstract Stress in nursing is prevalent in healthcare system; the impact on patient care and other important aspects of nurse’s life is serious. Cognitive strategy was claimed to be the effective intervention toward the problem but evident did not reflect its validation. Stress management 3 Introduction Stress in nursing places patients at risk and threatens nurse’s wellbeing. Various strategies were revealed to have positive outcome on managing the issue but cognitive technique was claimed to be the effective one among the rest which is unlikely to be the fact as it has no concrete data to its validation. Background Stress in nursing is problematic as it affects the quality of patient’s care and, the impact of nurse’s burnout could be serious.
This is why, most home health programs have standard health protocols, plans of care, interventions and routine evaluation measures to assist people suffering from moderate and severe dementia of late onset. But early onset Alzheimer’s disease affects people who are most likely young, employed, physically robust, sexually active and who have different leisure interests than their elder peers. Chaston D. (2010) suggests that: “numerous barriers continue to prevent younger adults with dementia accessing support and services. Their voices are not heard and their needs overlooked, often because nurses and other health professionals fail to recognise that dementia exists in this age group.” So, to make sure young individuals affected by dementia get the home care they need, “Care for memories initiative’s” focus is to create a comprehensive home care program for families whose first degree relative has been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Within this program, where the expertise of various professionals will be required, people suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s disease will be followed up regularly and according to their needs.
She speculated that inflammation that occurs when a person is depressed may be a factor for dementia.Many certain proteins found in brain of a peron who is depressed may increase the risk of dementia.It is very important to remember that risk factor is something that put you on risk. Its increasing your chances to develop illness but it doesn’t mean that you will develop dementia as many people with depression never get dementia. A new sudy was published in July 2014 in the same journal give us more light on the problem. The report says that depression is a risk factor for dementia and people who have symptoms of depression have problems with clear thinking and memory. This study shows there is link between dementia and depression but doesn't exactly says if there is prove cause -and -effect relationship between them both.
Alzheimer’s early stages include but aren’t limited to minor Short-term memory loss, forgetting that memory lapses happened and some confusion in situations outside the familiar. The early stages are difficult but with support from family and medical experts they are manageable, but what if the patient is scared of the late symptoms. Late stage of Alzheimer’s includes but isn’t limited to speech impairment, repeatedly initiating the same conversation, abusiveness, anxiety, and paranoia and debilitating cognitive deficit, which in layman’s term means mental retardation and eventually death but not from the disease it’s self. Shouldn’t those patients have a choice weather they want to go through the later stages of Alzheimer’s, it’s very doubtful that
Speaking to a loved one about end of life decisions is never easy, and in most cases is not discussed until someone has been diagnosed with a terminal illness. When a loved one is faced with a poor prognosis, the family is confronted with important decisions on how to provide end of life care for them. The nurse can be instrumental in helping the patient and family decide whether they want to stay in the hospital, or go home for their final days. Helping the family set up an advanced directives is important so the family is aware of the patient’s wishes in the event that they can no longer make their own decisions. It also reduces any anxiety that the family members may be feeling if the patient has their wishes laid out for them to follow.
While a diagnosis of dementia can be devastating news an explanation of what the problem is and what can be done about it can help people feel empowered and reduce some of the worry caused by uncertainty. People may find it helpful to discuss with doctors, nurses how the dementia may affect them or loved ones in the future. There is advice available about how to stay independent and live well. Dementia is not a single condition it refers to difficulties with thinking and memory that may be caused by several different under lying
Vulnerable populations include the working poor, racial and ethnic minorities, the uninsured, children, the elderly, the homeless, those chronic health conditions, including HIV/AIDS, not to mention severe mental illness. It may also include rural residents, who often encounter barriers to accessing healthcare services. The vulnerability of these individuals is enhanced by race, ethnicity, age, sex, and factors such as income, lack of insurance coverage. Their health and healthcare problems overlap with social factors, including inadequate housing, poverty, and poor education. According to a Department of Justice report, prisoners enter the system and bring with them “infectious diseases from underprivileged home environments that are breeding grounds for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and tuberculosis, the three most prevalent communicable diseases in America’s prisons today.” There is a misunderstanding that when a person commits a crime and goes to prison, he or she surrenders all rights.
Being out of home can have many implications to a persons health. As they are vulnerable and often may not have the resources to provide food or shelter for themselves they are leaving themselves open to a lot of preventable infections and diseases, be it a common flu or HIV. (http://www.focusireland.ie/files/docs/effects%20-%20link.pdf) This high level of vulnerability could result in early onset of death and high mortality rates. Crisis believe that “Homeless people die younger. The average age of death of those recorded as homeless on corners varies between 42 and 53 years.” (Crisis,