Many people are living long healthy lives but there are many normal changes that occur due to the aging process and several common problems which present in older individuals. Most elderly individuals are having an increased life expectancy and there is predicted to be an explosion of the older population. Understanding what the expected changes due to normal aging are, as well as what are not expectations, will help individuals and those who care for older individuals develop a more appropriate plan for lifestyle and healthcare. A significant number of older adults will eventually develop one or more of a group of related medical problems referred to as ‘Geriatric Syndromes’. These syndromes are a cascade of problems in an elder’s health and revolve around vision and hearing problems, elimination issues, dizziness, falls, and cognitive impairment including delirium as well as dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease). These syndromes can limit a person’s ability to carry out basic daily activities, may threaten independence, and can diminish quality of life as well as lead to death. These syndromes can be referred to as Fall Specials:
l Falls
l Sleep
l Pain
l Eating problems
l Constipation
l Incontinence (Urinary)
l Anxiety (Cognition problems including Dementia and Depression)
l Living abilities (Activities of Daily Living-ADLs)
l Skin Integrity Issues
The next several posting will address each of these syndromes individually.
ReplyDeleteHi,
I was wondering if you accepted any guest posting regarding senior hip health on your site? I couldn’t manage to find your email on the site. If you could get a hold of me at ahayes@drugwatch.com, I would greatly appreciate it!
Thanks,
-Aubrey