Abuse, Health Promotion, & Disease Prevention On Elderly Population. List and define the seven types of elder abuse that were identified by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA).
How would you approach the Ethical Dilemmas and Considerations that might arise regarding Euthanasia, Suicide, and Helped Suicide?
Describe and discuss the nurse’s role in health promotion and disease prevention in older adults. Share an example from your personal experience as a RN.
Name and elaborate on at least three screening/preventive procedure that must be done in older adults.
Define and discuss three common End-of-life documents that you as nurse must be familiar with to be able to educate older adults.
at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
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Seven Types of Elder Abuse:
The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) identifies seven types of elder abuse:
Physical abuse: The use of physical force that results in pain, injury, or impairment.
Emotional or psychological abuse: Inflicting mental anguish through verbal or non-verbal acts.
Sexual abuse: Non-consensual sexual contact of any kind with an elderly person.
Neglect: The failure to fulfill caretaking obligations, resulting in harm or potential harm to the elderly person.
Financial exploitation: Misuse or improper use of an elderly person’s funds, property, or assets.
Healthcare fraud and abuse: Overcharging, providing unnecessary services, or withholding healthcare for personal gain.
Self-neglect: Failure to meet one’s own basic needs, leading to harm or potential harm.
Ethical Dilemmas and Considerations regarding Euthanasia, Suicide, and Helped Suicide:
Euthanasia, suicide, and Helped suicide are complex and controversial topics that involve various ethical dilemmas. When approaching these issues, several ethical considerations arise, such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and the right to die with dignity. Different individuals and societies hold diverse perspectives on these matters, leading to a range of ethical dilemmas. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, must navigate these dilemmas by understanding legal and ethical frameworks, respecting patients’ autonomy, and ensuring appropriate communication, counseling, and support.
Nurse’s Role in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Older Adults:
Nurses play a crucial role in promoting health and preventing diseases in older adults. They provide holistic care by addressing physical, mental, and social aspects of health. Nurses educate older adults about healthy lifestyles, encourage regular screenings, vaccinations, and health maintenance activities, and promote self-care practices. They also assess and identify risk factors, provide counseling on risk reduction strategies, and collaborate with healthcare teams to develop individualized care plans. Nurses may also advocate for policy changes and community interventions to improve the health of older adults.
Example of a Nurse’s Role in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention:
As a registered nurse, I had the opportunity to work with older adults in a community health setting. During one particular health promotion event, I organized a workshop for older adults focusing on falls prevention. Falls are a significant concern among the elderly population, as they can lead to severe injuries and a decline in overall health. In the workshop, I provided education on fall risk factors, taught exercises to improve balance and strength, and discussed environmental modifications to prevent falls at home. I also collaborated with local physical therapists and occupational therapists to offer free balance assessments and recommendations for Helpive devices. By proactively addressing falls prevention, we aimed to enhance the overall well-being and independence of older adults in the community.
Three Screening/Preventive Procedures for Older Adults:
a) Regular Health Check-ups: Older adults should have regular check-ups with their healthcare providers to monitor their overall health, manage chronic conditions, and assess any new or developing health concerns. These visits often include assessments of blood pressure, cholesterol levels, glucose levels, and other important indicators.
b) Cancer Screenings: Older adults should undergo appropriate cancer screenings based on their gender, age, and individual risk factors. These may include screenings for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, and cervical cancer.
c) Immunizations: Vaccinations play a vital role in preventing diseases in older adults. Common immunizations recommended for older adults include influenza (flu) vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine, shingles vaccine (herpes zoster), and tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
Three Common End-of-Life Documents:
a) Living Will: A living will is a legal document that allows individuals to express their preferences regarding medical treatment and end-of-life care if they become unable to communicate their wishes. It may include instructions about resuscitation, life-sustaining treatments, and the use of feeding tubes or mechanical ventilation.
b) Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care: This document designates a trusted individual (healthcare proxy or agent) to make medical decisions on behalf of the individual if they are unable to do so. The healthcare proxy should be someone who understands the individual’s values and preferences.
c) Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order: A DNR order is a medical order that indicates a person’s wish to forgo cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. It is typically based on the individual’s preference, quality of life considerations, and discussions with healthcare providers.
