COMMUNITY HEALTH CH 9

Meals on wheels

A community-supported nutrition program in which prepared meals are delivered to elders in their homes, usually by volunteers

Geriatrician

A physician specializing in the care of patients with multiple chronic diseases who may not be able to be cured but whose care can be managed

Assisted-living facility

A special combination of housing, personalized supportive services, and health care designed to meet the needs-both schedules and unscheduled-of those who need help with activities of daily living

Aged

A state of being old. A person may be defined as this on the basis of having reached a specific age; for example, 65 is often used for social or legislative policies, while 75 is used for physiological evaluations by geriatricians

-Significant improvements have occurred with the income and economic position of elders in recent decades -In 1970, about 25% of elders lived in poverty, but by 2010 it dropped to 9% -Their major source of income as reported by older persons in 2009 were Social Security (87%), income from assets (53%), private pensions (28%), government employee pensions (14%), and earnings (26%) -They are more economically vulnerable to circumstances beyond their control because they rely on Social Security etc.. and not earnings as much

Describe older adults with regard to economic status

-Older adults in the U.S. have completed FEWER years of formal education than their younger counterparts -However, the education level has increased drastically in recent decades -Educational attainment of U.S. elders differs by race and ethnic origin with more whites having completed high school than any of the minority groups

Describe older adults with regard to education

-Proportion of elders in the U.S. population varies greatly by state -In 2010, over half of persons 65+ lived in 11 states (with California having the highest amount)

Describe older adults with regard to geographic location

-"The living arrangements of America's older population are linked to income, health status, and the availability of caregivers" -Over 1/4 of non-institutionalized elders live with someone else, while the remainder live alone -Of these, women are much more likely than men to be living alone. -Only about 4% of the elderly population in nursing homes, this can be due to the increase of assisted-living facilities

Describe older adults with regard to living arrangements

-Approximately 3/4ths of elder men are married, whereas just over half of elder women are married -In addition, elder women are 3X more likely then men to be widowed. This is due to 3 main reasons: 1. Men have shorter average life expectancies than women 2. Men tend to marry women who are younger than themselves 3. Men who lose a spouse through death or divorce are more likely to remarry than women

Describe older adults with regard to marital status

-In 2010, the elder population was majority white at 80% and the largest minority population was blacks at 9% -It is expected that the demographics will grow more diverse -It is expected that in coming decades the percentage of elder whites will decline and older Americans of Hispanic origin will become the largest older MINORITY group in the U.S.

Describe older adults with regard to racial and ethnic background

-Chronic conditions create a burden of health and economic status. -The actual number of chronic conditions increases with age; therefore LIMITATIONS FROM ACTIVITIES become increasingly prevalent with age -Many chronic conditions can RESULT IN IMPAIRMENTS, SUCH AS LOSS OF SIGHT FROM DIABETES

Describe the effects of chronic conditions on elders

-Effects sense organs, causes limitations in mobility or range of motion, causes memory impairments, and effects oral health (absence of natural teeth creates limitations for many elders) -Effects balance which can result in physical limitations such as walking a quarter of a mile, walking up 10 steps without resting, standing or being on their feed for about 2 hours, sitting for about 2 hours, stooping, bending, or kneeling, reaching over there head, using their fingers to grasp or handle small objects, and lifting or carrying something as heavy as 10 pounds (such as a bag of groceries)

Describe the effects of physical impairments on elders

Functional limitations

Difficulty in performing personal care and home management tasks

From 1900-2007 life expectancy has jumped from 47 years to 78 years. -In the 1st half of the 20th century, this could be attributed to the decrease in infant and early childhood deaths -The increase in the 2nd half of the 20th century can be attributed to the postponement of death among the middle-aged and elder population

How have life expectancy figures changed over the years in the United States? What were the major reasons for the change in the first half of the twentieth century? The second half?

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL's)

More complex tasks such as handling personal finances, preparing meals, shopping, doing house work, traveling, using the telephone, and taking medications

1. "Old people are senile" 2. "Most old people are sickly" 3. "Old people no longer have any sexual interest" 4. "Most old people end up in nursing homes" 5. "Old people are all alike"

Name 5 common myths about aging:

Care provider

One who helps identify the health care needs of an individual and also personally performs the caregiving service

Continuing-care retirement communities (CCRC's)

Planned communities for seniors that guarantee a lifelong residence and health care

Respite care

Planned short-term care, usually for the purposed of relieving a full-time informal caregiver

Retirement communities

Residential communities that have been specifically developed for those in their retirement years

Activities of daily living (ADL's)

Tasks such as eating, toiling, dressing, bathing, walking, getting in and out of a bed or chair, and getting outside

Geriatrics

The branch of medicine concerned with medical problems and care of the elderly

Aging

The changes that occur normally in plants and animals as they grow older. Some age changes begin at birth and continue until death; other changes begin at maturity and end at death

Gerontology

The multidisciplinary study of the biological, psychological and social processes of aging and the elderly

If these health behaviors are practiced early in life they will improve the quality of later life (can decrease risk of chronic conditions or physical limitations) -Healthy eating -Exercise -Vaccinations -Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption

What are some health behaviors that can improve quality of later life?

-You see old people everywhere you go -The number of senior centers, retirement villages and assisted-living facilities is increasing -Many people belong to multigenerational families

What are some signs, visible to the average person, that the U.S. population is aging?

Senility is the result of disease and only affects about 5% of elders living in non institutional settings

What is TRUTH about the common myth that "old people are senile"?

There are more differences among elders than any other segment of the U.S. population

What is the TRUTH about the common myth that ""old people are all alike"?

Most older people do have at least one chronic health problem, but the majority of elders live active lifestyles

What is the TRUTH about the common myth that "most old people are sickly"?

Only approximately 4% of those above the age of 65 live in nursing homes, homes for the aged, or other group quarters. Only 1% of those aged 65-74 reside in such a place, thought the percentage jumps to 19% for the oldest old (85 and older). However, this number is still well below half

What is the TRUTH about the common myth that "most old people end up in nursing homes"?

Sexual interest may or may not diminish with age but there is an alteration in sexual response, nonetheless, many elders in reasonably good health have active and satisfying sex lives

What is the TRUTH about the common myth that "old people no longer have any sexual interest"?

People are considered "old" once they reach the age of 65/ but because the average life span has gone up, researchers have subdivided old into young old, middle old, and old old

What is the age range for "old" people

75-84

What is the age range for the "middle old" category?

65-74

What is the age range for the "young old" category?

85 and over

What is the age range for the old old category?

Encore career

When individuals transition out of their work careers and into jobs and volunteer opportunities in nonprofit and public sectors. These have a positive impact on society's greatest problems

Because most of them face some chronic disease, but it is a myth because many old people have an active lifestyle

Why is there a myth that old people are sickly?