AGING ADULT CASE STUDY

AGING ADULT CASE STUDY

Introduction

Our healthcare system will be changed forever with the increasing age of the elderly population. According to the Global Health and Aging research conducted by World Health Organization, the number of people with more than 65 years is projected to increase in the next few decades due to improved healthcare facilities and nutrition management in developing nations (Barger, Agree & Freedman, 2012). World Health Organization attributes the rapid population increase of older adults to a change in the leading cause of deaths due to infections and chronic noncommunicable ailments. Most people expect older people in society to have little movements and poor diet management, which causes them to develop chronic diseases(Healthcare Management and the Aging Population, 2016). Obesity, stroke, cancer, and heart diseases are the major diseases causing the deaths of the elderly in society, especially in high-income countries (Gans, Risica& Eaton, 2016). This paper addresses the case study of an older adult aged 68 years, the health status and information, the outcomes, and nursing interventions. Also, the paper will address the weaknesses and supports that should be given to her and the rationale behind the available referrals.

Screening Tools to Assess Nutritional and Exercise Knowledge

The adult referred to in this case study is 68 years old, living in a solitary home. She is able to conduct all her duties normally and does not depend on any form of support from the community. According to the case study, she provides for all her needs through the income she earns, although she feels that there is a need for her to seek family and social support. She has no known health complications and feels that she does not need much help from support systems because she is independent. Based on her height and weight, she has a body mass index of 33.89, which puts her in Obese Class I. This adult is in high-risk body mass index due to her weight. However, there are various tools that can be used to assess the exercise and nutrition knowledge for her.

The most effective tool that can be used in her case is the WAVE assessment tool because it addresses various health topics. The weight of the patient is the first part covered under the WAVE tool for nutrition assessment. This part assesses the body mass index of patients based on the index on the chart. The second part assesses the activity. In this assessment clause, inquiries on the daily and weekly physical activities are made. The third part of the assessment covers the nutritional varieties where patients are asked about the food varieties they use in their diets. The other part of the WAVE assessment deals with an excess assessment where patients are inquired on the food amounts they consume and the consumption frequency(Barger, Agree & Freedman, 2012).

The WAVE assessment is the best tool for this patient because the nurse can get significant information about her physical activity and eating behaviors. Through this tool, the nurse will be able to recommend dietary changes that the patient should make and other lifestyle modifications to live a better lifestyle. The assessment tool will enable the patient to note where she is doing well and areas that need improvements regarding the nutritional status and physical activities…

Reasonable, Measurable, and Realistic Outcomes

Firstly, the most appropriate outcome for this patient would be advising her to understand and acknowledge her overweight status. The patient should also understand her nutritional needs to help her in weight management and to maintain a healthy body. Various nursing interventions can be made, such as education. The nurse should educate this patient on health issues that are associated with being overweight. Also, the nurse should educate her on healthy nutrition that she needs to help her in weight management and a healthy lifestyle.Education, as a nursing intervention, will enable the patient to understand and gain knowledge about the overweight implications such as obesity(Barger, Agree & Freedman, 2012).

The other intervention would be making the patient develop a dietary plan to help her in achieving a healthy weight. The plan will enable the patient to stay on track with nutritional management, and the nurse should recommend the best diets and in correct portions for her. Another intervention that should be made by the nurse is providing the patient with resources to enable her to achieve and maintain her weight to avoid long-term complications(Gans, Risica& Eaton, 2016). The intervention will enable the patient to be part of the community by losing her wight. Recommending the best resources will enable the patient to be more successful with her nutritional status.

The other outcome that will be desirable for this patient would be recommending increased physical activity and tolerance to help her adopt a healthier lifestyle and to avoid the risks associated with health issues related to activity intolerance. The outcome of this intervention would be encouraging physical exercises. This can be done through developing an exercise schedule for the patient as physical activities are known to have desirable outcomes. Exercises can prevent the patient from being deconditioned and increase her moods. Finally, intervention on activity intolerance is significant for this patient as she will be able to plan her physical activities and to be more comfortable due to physical activity. The patient needs to be educated on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the consequences of living a sedentary lifestyle(Healthcare Management and the Aging Population, 2016). Assessing the physical and nutritional status of this patient is essential for her health as it will help her to live a long and happy life.

Weaknesses and Support for the Patient

The patient described in this case study has two notable differences. Firstly, she wants to be too independent due to the financial stability that enables her to manage her modest lifestyle. Even though she has a family and social support system, she is too independent and very proud of her self-reliance. This is a significant weakness and could cause her to struggle to deal with issues that might be facing her, such as diet and exercises, since she does not believe in social support systems. She might lack information on how her dietary requirements need nutritional improvements as she will most likely cook less nutritious foods that are familiar to her.

Secondly, her self-reliance may also be posing a huge challenge in her life as it may limit the activities that she will complete. She may be unaware of the likely consequences caused by her independence, such as stress and depression, as a result of limited interaction with friends. The support system is always available to her, but she does not take advantage due to her self-reliance and independence. Patience has limited movements, and this may cause health complications such as obesity, and she may hold back from seeking help from friends.

Referrals

The first referral that can be recommended to this patient is seeking the services of a senior community center, which will provide her with social support based on her age. Also, the community center is important as she will benefit from activities that will keep her active such as the gym. Senior community centers within her community are significant as they provide support services for aging adults when they need assistance with duties and activities around their house(Gans, Risica& Eaton, 2016). The other referral that will work best for her is nutritional counseling, which will benefit her by educating her body requirements and how to follow the nutrition calendar to meet those needs through various categories of food. Nutritional counseling has proved significant for most aging people as they can receive information on diet controls and live a healthy lifestyle.

Also, nutritional planning will enable her to reduce the amount of foods she cooks and avoiding foods such as junks, which are known to add weight. A lot of awareness should be created in society to help other people that may be having a similar problem as her due to self-reliance and too much independence based on financial status. Financial stability is not all that matters in life, especially for the aging population. Still, lots of other important factors play a crucial role in enabling them to live a long healthy life (Healthcare Management and the Aging Population, 2016).

Conclusion

The aging adult presented in this case study seems to have a reasonably healthy life. However, she is overweight, and there is a need to monitor her dietary needs and improve on her daily activities because the body mass index shows that she is in Obese Class I. she needs to be educated on ways of managing her weight to live a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, the nurse should help her to understand what she needs to keep in control, and even if she is independent and self-reliant, it does not mean that she should completely live without social support. There is a need for the patient to understand that seeking help and other forms of assistance from family and social support system is not a sign of weakness. The social support system is made available to enrich her life and not to make her stop doing her usual activities independently. Importantly, interventions such as seeking assistance from community senior support systems and nutritional planning will make her more active and keep the diet in control. Engaging in social activities is essential for her psychological wellbeing. Dietary planning will enable her to eat healthier foods and plan on her meals.

References

Barger, S. Agree, E., & Freedman, V. (2012). Implications of Population Aging for Geriatric Health. doi:10.7249/rp792

Gans, K. M., Risica, P. M, & Eaton, C. B. (2016). Development and Evaluation of the Nutrition Component of the Rapid Eating and Activity Assessment for Patients (REAP): A New Tool for Primary Care Providers. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 38(5), 286-292. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2005.12.002

Healthcare Management and the Aging Population. (2016). doi:10.4135/9781473988590