Fall Risks and Prevention Strategies Fall Risks and Prevention Strategies Falls are a problem for most of the elderly population in the home, acute care setting, and long term care setting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC;2013), there is one out of three people over the age of 65 who have fallen and suffered serious injuries and even death. This has become a problem for patients, families, and healthcare facilities that can be prevented through education and awareness of surroundings. Falls can be devastating to patients due to increased hospital stay and decreased mobility. The purpose of this paper is to discuss data associated with falls, and identify risks and prevention strategies.
Abstract “In the U.S. alone, more than half a million reports of abuse against elderly Americans reach authorities every year, and millions more cases go unreported.” (www.helpguide.org/mental/elder_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm) Our senior citizens eventually become feeble physically which means they are less likely to have the capability to fight off an attacker. Majority of elderly do not see, hear or think as soundly as they once had the competence to do, this leaves them vulnerable for immoral people to take full advantage of them. Elderly are being abused more than we know and often by those who are personably accountable for their care. Sadly, majority of the abuse comes directly from family members of the elderly patient. In 2010 according to research about ninety percent were family members of the person in need of care.
An ischemic stroke is usually characterized by a reduction or obstruction of blood supply to the brain due to blocked blood vessels caused by atherosclerosis or a blood clot. Up to twelve percent of ischemic strokes often cause death within thirty days and is among the largest health burdens in developed countries. It is worth noting that the epidemiology of stroke has been changing because of several factors, with the most important being an ageing population, as well as advancements in the treatment of the condition. Stroke prevalence is projected to increase globally as the population of individuals aged above sixty-five years augments (Ovbiagele et al., 2013, p. 2363). Ovbiagele et al.
1. Understand what dementia is 1.1 Explain what is meant by the term ‘dementia’ Referring to the degeneration (decline) of various functions governed by the central nervous system, including motor reactions memory and learning capabilities, problem solving etc. These functions normally decline with age, but several dementia syndromes result from pathological organic deterioration of the brain. Dementia is a common condition that affects about 700,000 people in the UK. Your risk of developing dementia increases as you get older, and the condition usually occurs in people over the age of 65.
As these programs are developed strategies and standards are addressed and barriers identified to ensure success of preventing falls. Falls are a serious concern among the elderly population, and a major concern within the health care community. Falls are the most adverse event reported in hospitals and are leading cause of death in patients 65 years or older. Nation-wide the average rate for a first fall range from 2.2 to 3.6 per 1000 patient days. Litigations related to hospital falls is growing in both frequency and severity; hospital administrators are in a quandary on how to reduce patient falls.
THE NEED FOR HIGHLY EDUCATED NURSES Abstract The Need for Highly-Educated Nurses In the 21st century, the health challenges facing the nation have shifted dramatically. The American population is older—Americans 65 and older will be nearly 20 percent of the population by 2030—as well as more diverse with respect not only to race and ethnicity but also other cultural and socioeconomic factors. In addition to shifts in the nation’s demographics, there also have been shifts in that nation’s health care needs. Most health care today relates to chronic conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and mental health conditions, due in part to the nation’s aging population and compounded by increasing obesity levels. While chronic conditions account for most of the care needed today, the U.S. health care system was primarily built around treating acute illnesses and injuries, the predominant health challenges of the early 20th century.
There are arguments to support that many older people leave hospital less able to function or mobilise than when they were admitted (de Morton, Keating & Jeffs 2007). This is due to the occurrence of deconditioning, a risk for many elderly patients admitted to an acute hospital setting. Deconditioning refers to the significant decline in the functional ability of patients, and is generally associated with prolonged bed rest and immobility (Kortebein, 2008). The term is used to describe the physiological changes caused by inactivity, with virtually every body system affected (Eliopoulos, 2010), and it also incorporates functional losses in mental status, ability to accomplish activities of daily living (ADLs) and a decrease in muscle mass and strength (Gillis, MacDonald & MacIsaac 2008). Hospitalisation is often the cause of deconditioning, particularly due to the focus on bed rest in order to recover from illness, or the limited mobility resulting from surgery.
COMPULSIVE HOARDING AND THE ELDERLY PATIENT 1 Compulsive Hoarding and the Elderly Patient Compulsive Hoarding and the Elderly Patient 2 Compulsive Hoarding and the Elderly Patient I. Introduction of the topic Hoarding is a multifaceted problem that stems from several deficits or difficulties. (Steketee et al., 2001) Hoarding is more likely to be a problem when a person ages because people tend to have more difficulties managing their collections of items. As the older population continues to expand in the United States the nurses, social workers and other medical professions will encounter the conduct and behavior of the hoarder. Many nurses do not have the expertise in dealing with this issue but it is now in the spot light because of media coverage (Steketee et al., 2001).
In today’s economy more and more people are categorized as vulnerable. Finding oneself in a vulnerable state, such as unemployed or underemployed, ill, or homeless, can be the catalyst for positive change. In addition vulnerable populations are often victims of ethnocentric biases that are prevalent in health care, which can interfere with access to quality care. Barriers Many barriers exist that have a negative effect on an individual’s ability to access quality health care. Immigrants experience many difficulties navigating the complicated bureaucracies that interfere with obtaining health care.
However, because thousands of new drugs have been developed recently, because the health care environment is increasingly complex, and because the patients are older and often sicker, there is increasing risk for medication errors in hospitals. They occur most frequently at the prescribing and administration stages. Medication errors occur in all health care systems; and often result in serious patient harm or deaths are the focus because this is an issue for most hospitals. Serious errors harm patients and expose health professionals to civil liability and sometimes-criminal prosecution (NHS Jan 2004, p.9). The statistics of medication error consistently increases in health care sector.