INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH CARE PRACTICES AND CLINICAL SKILLS - Essay Example

As far as taking care of an elderly person is concerned, the role of nurses is further emphasized. Though, traditionally the care of the elderly has been the responsibility of family members; in the present society, care of the senior citizens is provided by the state or charitable institutions and nurses have a major role to play in these situations. The role of nursing is authenticated in helping people move towards independence in all activities of daily living. They take up the role of a family member.

Their actions have an impact on the individual and affect their levels of dependence/independence and these include biological, psychological, socio-cultural, environmental and politico-economic variables (Roper et al, 2002). The economic, social and health status of the fast-growing elderly population poses a great challenge to all sectors. The WHO has projected that the elderly population of the world will cross the one billion mark by the year 2020 and by that time, over 700 million old people will be living in developing countries.

It is unfortunate to say that little attention is paid to the enormous needs of the elderly population because the National health services are still preoccupied with tackling of the communicable diseases, maternal and child care. The World Health organisation has taken action to improve the health care of the elderly with the principle focus on community participation and family care, thereby promoting traditional family ties. The corner stone for supporting this is making optimal use of primary health care services (WHO, 2006).

This essay will highlight the role of a nurse in the health promotion of an elderly man suffering from dementia and diabetes, who has only a wife to support him and no children and is admitted to a residential care. Aging is a natural physiological process and there are many changes which occur in the various organs of the body. The changes related to aging