Older Adult and Geriatric Care for Texas Nurses

CONTACT HOURS: 2

BY: 

Judith Swan, MSN, BSN, ADN; Nancy Evans, BS

LEARNING OUTCOME AND OBJECTIVES:  Upon completion of this continuing education course, you will have increased your knowledge of the unique issues related to caring for older adult patients. Specific learning objectives to address potential knowledge gaps include:

  • Discuss the major age-related physiologic changes impacting older adults and related prevention and health maintenance.
  • Discuss cognitive changes impacting the health of older individuals and related management recommendations.
  • Describe mental health issues of older individuals.
  • Review the assessment and management of elder abuse victims.
  • Clarify the principles that guide end-of-life care.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Introduction
  • Physiologic Changes and Disease Processes of Aging
  • Age-Related Cognitive Changes
  • Mental Health Issues
  • Elder Abuse
  • End-of-Life Care
  • Conclusion
  • Resources
  • References

INTRODUCTION


By 2034, older adults, defined as 65 years and older, are projected to outnumber young people for the first time in U.S. history, with people ages 65 and older numbering 77.0 million and children under 18 numbering 76.5 million. The main reason for this is the nation’s “baby boom” generation of the 1950s and 1960s. Almost 12% of Texans—3.2 million people—are 65 and older, and the number is growing. By 2050 that figure is expected to increase to almost 20% of the state population (TX HHS, 2021a).

Today, this topic still remains one of prime concern and must be addressed by all healthcare providers if we are to meet the unique medical and quality-of-life needs of this growing population. Continuing education of the healthcare community is an essential step in the process.

COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH THE OLDER ADULT

Older adults often report being treated with lack of respect and negative attitudes and receiving insufficient information. Ineffective communication can cause older people to feel inadequate, disempowered, and helpless.

It is helpful for healthcare providers to recognize whether they are communicating by talking with the older adult or talking to them. Even if a person has dementia or memory loss, attention and comments should be directed to the patient, and it is important to address the patient by last name, using the title the patient prefers until told otherwise.

To promote health maintenance, older adults should be involved through collaborative goal planning, which enables professionals and patients to monitor effects of care and support and to quantify the impact of interventions. Goals of community-living older adults mostly aim at improving health and managing problems concerning physical health, mobility, or support (IHI, 2019).