Vulnerable Population and Self Awareness Nurs 440 May 27, 2013 Vulnerable Population and Self Awareness There are many types of vulnerable populations in today’s society that are vulnerable to certain illnesses or diseases. One of the most common vulnerable populations is the elderly. As the age increases most often it also corresponds with cognitive changes, specifically dementia. Chronic illnesses in the elderly increase their vulnerability and begin to be more dependent on others for assistance. Upon growing older there many choices to be made and one of the most difficult is having to place the elder person in a nursing home when he/she is no longer capable of being independent.
The elderly population is a group of citizens that require a great deal of medical and social assistance and protection. More than 70% of the elderly population has been diagnosed with a chronic disease (Pishchita, 2007). A growing trend of increased life span is occurring worldwide and producing a need to address issues and concerns for quality medical care and protection of rights among this population. Elderly patients have the same rights as any other citizen. However, many elderly individuals experience physical and mental conditions that do not allow them to exercise their rights.
About 75% of people who are diagnosed with dementia will have either Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia, or a combination of the two. There less common forms of dementia include dementia with Lewy bodies, fronto-temporal dementia (Pick’s disease), Huntington’s disease, alcohol-related dementias, and HIV/AIDS-related dementia. Alzheimer’s usually affects the elderly population and is a degenerative neurogical disorder and genetic factors are considered the greatest factors in the development of the disease. This conditions begins gradually and worsens progressively over several years. It is caused by nerve cells dying in certain areas of the brain and the connections between the affected nerve cells deteriorate.
One of the advantages of becoming a registered nurse is based on the shortage. The problem of the nursing shortage is expected to intensify over the next fifteen years, due to the “baby boomers” are aging and with the elderly living longer, nurses will be even more in demand in the coming years. There is a steady decline in the availability of nurses as they go off the point into different occupations or do not even consider nursing as a career option. According to a report conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration, thirty states are currently suffering due to a lack of nurses being able to fill positions. The overall look does not look promising for the state of health care in the United States.
The research done by Lydia Bronte and presented here gives us a new look at the older generation and an eye opener on what to expect and prepare for. As professionals and as society as a whole, the film expresses a need to prepare for more people remaining productive and active longer. The film also shows some of the benefits this age group offers us in terms of experience, economic revenue, and the possibilities awaiting us. I feel the problem of age bias is a real and common issue. The film shows us the importance of the elderly to continue to lead productive lives and feel they are contributing members of society, because in fact they are and should be treated as such.
According to the text more than 80 percent of persons age 70 and over have at lest one chronic condition with multiple health problems occurring in 50 percent of the older population (cite text). They are often accompanied by continuous pain and distress (text). Heart disease is a common chronic condition in older adults. Coronary heart disease also known as CHD, along with stroke are the leading causes of death among older adults. Coronary heart disease is a condition in which blood to the heart is deficient because of a narrowing or constricting of the cardiac vessels that supply it.
UNDERSTANDING DEMENTIA Signs and symptoms of dementia Dementia is a collection of symptoms including memory loss personality change, and impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activates and relationships. They can have behavioural , hallucinations, cant judge thins properly resulting from debase or trauma to the brain.. Some people might think that dementia is due too old age were in fact its not as when we get older are thinking slows down . Dementia can happen at any age some children can have dementia , dementia is not a specific disease ,there is Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia , accounting for two- thirds of all diagnosed cases. if your dementia symptoms
Demographics influences were predictable and had the greatest impact on the price of nursing homes care. The general demographics changes were determined by aging and population development. The spreading population in the United States has increased the number and the amount of elderly population age 65 and over. This
Older people need more medical care than young people, causing the health system to be put under great pressure. For example, in 2005 the average stay in hospital for people over 75 was 13 nights, whereas the whole of the
Americans are living longer, and thus the number of older Americans is the most rapidly expanding segment of the population. Therefore, whenever nurses work with an adult population, they are likely to encounter a majority of elderly patients. In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb (from Ancient Greek prósthesis, "addition, application, attachment) is a device that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control lost by trauma, disease, or defect. Prostheses are typically used to replace parts lost by injury (traumatic) or missing from birth (congenital) or to supplement defective body parts.