Aging Problem in Healthcare - Research Paper Example

Some psychological changes that are associated with aging include changes decline in memory capability, intelligence decline, and changes in both values and personality of an individual (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p. 142). Aging can also refer to the individual’s change in roles and responsibilities such as roles towards the family and society. Another meaning of aging is the physical changes that reduce the efficiency of body organ systems such as the heart, blood circulation system, and lungs. This occurs due to a decline in the rate of cell replications as an individual gets older (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p. 245).

Gerontological nursing refers to the study of the aging processes as individuals progress from middle age to later life. Gerontology studies the mental, physical, and social changes associated with older people and changes in social policies aimed at taking care of the aged population (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p. 143). Gerontology nursing applies to community nursing by integrating advanced knowledge and skills in delivering quality and safe health care to the aged in the community. The branch of nursing focuses on health screening, counseling, and crisis intervention to provide quality care to older people (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p. 248).

According to U.S Census Bureau statistics released in 2010, the country’s age composition changed greatly between 2000 and 2010. Individuals aged between 45 to 65 years increased by 31.5 percent and account for about 26.4 of the total population. The number of Americans aged 65 years and above numbered 40,267,984 in 2010 and represented almost 12.4 percent of the total population (Oswald, Jopp, Rott & Wahl, 2011, p. 248). Accordingly, the number of aged individuals increased by 15.3 percent or 5.4 million citizens since 2010. Surprisingly, there were 53, 364 people aged more than 100 years. Target goals of Healthy People 2010 aim at reducing tooth loss, ensuring the aged receive flu vaccine every year, and ensuring 90 percent of adults aged 65 years and older receive pneumonia vaccine. Accordingly, the target goals aim at getting colorectal cancer screening at the age of 50 years and ensuring 70 percent of women receive a mammogram at the age of 40 years. The targets aim at preventing falling by ensuring the aged citizens have healthy bones, increasing leisure, and ensuring the aged increase their intake of fruits and vegetables (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p. 143).

There are numerous community issues affecting the elderly population. One of the issues affecting elderly people is poverty since majorities of these individuals depend on social security benefits. Another issue affecting this group is the high risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart-related diseases. The elderly also suffer from sensory impairments and poor oral health problems such as vision impairment, hearing impairment, and loss of teeth. Other issues include lack of adequate access to vaccinations, poor diet quality, inadequate physical activity, obesity, inadequate physical activity, and cigarette smoking behaviors (Scheibe & Carstensen, 2010, p. 144).

Community nursing practices must offer quality and safe nursing care to the elderly by assessing nursing needs. The assessment phase must collect data about each elderly person, the disease symptoms, the surrounding environment such as close family members, access to recreational facilities, and the income level of the elderly person (Wick, 2010, p. 121). Accordingly, the assessment phase must collect data on past medical and nursing history such as previous hospitalization. The nurse must also diagnose the elderly person with potential health needs such as poor nutrition, conflict with immediate family members, poor nutrition, anxiety, impairment disability, or heart-related diseases. In the planning stage, the nurse must agree with the elderly person on how to address the nursing needs identified in the assessment and diagnosis phase. The nurse will set both measurable and attainable short and long-term nursing outcomes (Wick, 2010, p. 122). Outcomes include attaining adequate nutrition, improving counseling, managing pain and impairment disability, and ultimately improving the welfare of the elderly person. The intervention phase will entail improving both verbal and non-verbal communication, enabling the elderly to enhance personal hygiene, addressing their spiritual needs, reducing anxiety through counseling, and improving family support. Other interventions include the provision of proper diet, vaccinations, and pain management (Wick, 2010, p. 122).

Aging refers to physical, social, biological, and psychological changes that occur as individuals get old. Aging is associated with certain changes that impair the health and welfare of elderly persons such as visual impairment, low physical activity, and lifestyle-related diseases such as stroke and obesity. The US population of elderly individuals has increased tremendously thus community nursing must focus on improving the welfare of this group of citizens through collecting nursing needs data, diagnosis of medical complications, and ultimately providing an intervention strategy. The overall objective is to ensure quality and safe nursing care for the elderly.