Personal-Centred Care for Older Person - Essay Example

1. Could you tell me about yourself and any changes you have noticed as you have grown older? June described herself as 71-year-old woman who had been widowed at the young age of 50. One of her proudest achievements was the fact that she raised three beautiful children who all have their own families now. With respect to her earlier life, June was a high school teacher that spent a great deal of time involved in her community, engaging her students, and living a very active life that included leisure travels during the summers off that she had from her high school teaching job. Soon after the death of her husband, June retired from her teaching job as a direct result of her own health problems. Rather than continuing on and suffering through the hardships of continuing her rather vigorous daily routines, June realized that her career nor her students would benefit from the decreased level of energy and time that she could devote to them. Instead of allowing her work to be impacted negatively, June instead opted for retirement as this gave her the opportunity to devote maximal time and energy to the care of her declining health. June admitted to the fact that although she knew it was bad for her, she had been a chain smoker up until the point that her husband died. As such, she suffers from osteoporosis and emphysema; diseases that she says make it increasingly difficult to deal with life. This difficulty is due to the compounding nature of the symptoms. Although she was not diagnosed with either of these diseases prior to ending her teaching career, the symptoms and the hardships of dealing with both of them at the same time provides significant stress and hardship for her. 2. What are some of the best things about growing older? June stated that one of the things that provides her a degree of comfort and happiness with respect to the aging process is that she has come to understand herself to a degree that she never before thought possible. In earlier life, she was quite concerned with the approval of others and what they thought about her or what she did. However, as she has come to be older, their approval is of less importance. Further, she also enjoys the fact that others have come to give her the respect that she feels has so long been due to her. As a result of her age, and partly to her health condition, individuals are more willing to listen to what she has to say and consider the needs or requests that she might have as compared to earlier in life. It is without question that her answer to these questions may well have heavily been impacted upon by her prior experience as a high school teacher. In addition to these aspects, June also pointed to the joy and happiness that her family is able to bring her. Although she of course misses her spouse, she is able to live vicariously through the accomplishments of her children. 3. What are some of the hardest things about growing older for you? Interestingly, whereas many people talk about grey or thinning hair, increased wrinkles, or some other surface issue of the ageing process, June instead focused in on the fact that the most difficult/hardest aspect of growing older was the slow and steady decline of her physical and mental state. This showed a depth in character and a will to be resilient and independent that only a handful of individuals are capable of. Due to the fact that old age impacts upon both physical and mental health and the fact that June also suffers from osteoporosis and emphysema, the ageing process has become synonymous to a struggle. Decreased levels of energy have meant that she has found it necessary to move into an assisted living facility and leverage the services of others as a means of taking care of her own health (Cutler, 2009). These two diseases severely restrict the activities and capabilities of the patient. The osteoporosis keeps her from living any type of active life due to the loss of bone density and the emphysema always has her constrained to an oxygen bottle. Further, June says that he great many medications that she is required to take become laborious. Although she does not enjoy taking them and oftentimes hates it even, she realizes that she has no other choice. 4. What is important for you now and into the future? Do you foresee any need for support in achieving these goals? Rather than taking a selfish approach to this question and focusing upon her own healthcare needs first and foremost, June said that her level of interaction with her children and grandchildren was the most important to her. In order to spend more time with her loved ones though, issues of her own health and wellbeing must be addressed. This dual attachment reminds June of the fact that in order to achieve this goal she must first focus upon her own condition and seeks to improve it wherever possible. However, one aspect of her health that she clearly sees as one of the main impediments that she faces is with regards to her struggle with depression and/or her low self-esteem concerning the health problems that she has. However, in terms of physical realities, she is very much concerned about the future of healthcare and the ability of the government to continue funding her pharmaceutical needs as well as her care needs (Gest, 2013). Level of focus and concern upon this issue is of course predicated upon the fact that she does not have a great deal of financial means herself; necessitating government engagement and support in order for her to continue to live as long and as helpful a life as possible (Allan & Cook, 2007). Although June denotes the fact that family interaction, a focus upon her own depression, and engagement with the other healthcare concerns that she has, as well as the continued funding of government healthcare, are fundamental importance to her, it should also be noted that a level of socialization is required for the patient. Due to the fact that the patient is not able to spend all of her available spare time with her loved ones, social interaction within the managed care is a fundamental need that will not only improve upon the health of the patient but will also provide the much needed relief from depression and self-esteem issues that the patient has earlier denoted. 5. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your health and wellbeing? Aside from the hardships that it previously been discussed, June wanted to point to the fact that she is still thankful for the life that she has. Moreover, she also indicated that life is a gift; each and every day should be treated as such. Furthermore, she also warned against the dangers of unhealthful living. Stopping short of saying that smoking was directly responsible for the majority of the health issues that she had today, June it did indicate that young people were not only responsible to the communities that they lived in, they must also be responsible to themselves; how looting to the fact that poor choices within you could lead to long-lasting impact in old age - similar if not identical to the ones that June currently faces. Appendix Emphysema: Whereas emphysema is of course possible to develop as a result of environmental or genetic factors, the single most relevant and comment cause of emphysema is tobacco smoke (Caihong et al., 2013). Ultimately, emphysema or COPD, short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a disease that causes chronic shortness of breath, poor oxygen levels, wheezing, and the production of sputum (Brooke, 2013). Whereas diseases such as asthma are able to be treated with a litany of different pharmacological interventions, emphysema is more or less immune to such approaches and becomes progressively worse with time. The obvious complication of suffering from such a disease is the fact that those who are afflicted with it will be constrained to a life of low to moderate activity levels (Kosciuch et al., 2013). Furthermore, even if an oxygen tank is employed to provide the much needed levels of respiration, the ability of a person to strengthen their body, get fresh air, or maintain an active lifestyle is severely restricted (Contoli, et al., 2013). Osteoporosis: Whereas a disease such as emphysema is fairly obvious to recognize, due to the constriction inability and reduced function of the body’s vital functions, a disease such as osteoporosis is not quite as easily noted. For instance, many individuals are not even aware of the fact that they have osteoporosis until the point in time that they break a bone (Guidelines for Diagnosis, 2013). However, aches and pains within the back or neck are obviously a good indication that osteoporosis might be a possibility that the patient is suffering from (Sugerman, 2014). These aches and pains are invariably caused by the fact that minor fractures are taking place within the bones and subsequently healing. Obviously, these are merely a precursor to a more major break that might occur in a vital region of the body such as the hip. This is not a disease that can be taken lightly (El-Heis et al., 2013). The major reason for this has to do with the fact that even the slightest bump or shortest fall could result in a tragic accident in which multiple fractures could occur (Bresler, 2013). As such, the supplementation of high levels of calcium as well as the administration of certain pharmacological interventions can’t help to slow the process of osteoporosis; however, it is completely impossible to stop or reverse the process at this current point in time. (Schub & Richard, 2014) Mental Awareness: Thus far, the two diseases that June suffers from have been partially explained and their symptoms defined. However, on a mental note, it must also be understood that she experiences and suffers from social isolation and dependency/independency issues. Obviously, the social isolation that she suffers is suffered by almost anyone who comes into a managed care facility. Ultimately, June lived a relatively active life that involved family and friends, as well as a career, and now is facing a situation in which she must leverage the services and expertise of medical professionals in order to better her own health and continue to enjoy a high quality of life. Further, rather than replacing into her own shell, June it must be engaged with regards to the activities and day-to-day interactions that take place within the managed care facility. Obviously, professionals within the facility can affect this to a large degree; however, June’s own approach to the situation and Outlook is perhaps of the greatest importance. Although she places a high level of importance upon the interaction that he/she has with her family as well as the hopes and dreams that she can continue to provide a level of independent living, the reality the fact is that the family will only be able to spend a certain limited amount of time with June; therefore requiring her to build new connections and interact with those in her immediate setting as a means of providing the needed social interaction that she requires. Medication: The issue of medication is also one of importance. Although the issue was glossed over with regards to June’s personal understanding of her healthcare reality, rather than accepting the fact that these medications are an important complement of what allows her to continue to be active, at least in the level to which he is, June instead more or less despises the fact that she is dependent upon them. However, in order to change this particular approach, healthcare professionals must not only discuss the fact that these medications have a powerful impact upon improving the existing realities that June faces, they might also seek to elicit the help of her much esteemed and beloved family members as a means of accomplishing this goal as well. Plans/Interventions: Although Junes of the worries cannot and should not be dismissed out of hand, the issue with regards to the financial concerns that she faces is not one that is likely to impact heavily upon Junes condition within the immediate future. Ultimately, even though the entire global economy has slowed and the level and extent to which government programs are able to address the needs of their respective stakeholders have decreased, the likelihood of government funding for programs that provide for Junes continued survival are most certainly not a target for reduction. As such, medical professionals and others should seek to allay these concerns wherever possible. With regards to plans interventions, it must be understood that the most effective plan for June will be one in which she is engaged physically and mentally. Although she of course fears the reality of her decreasing mental capabilities, these can most readily be retained by interacting with those in her immediate surroundings. Furthermore, although emphysema and/or osteoporosis cannot be “cured” they can most certainly be addressed. In such a manner, by addressing these particular diseases, it will be necessary for June to take as active and lifestyle as possible and continue to interact with those individuals in her immediate surroundings (Militaru, 2012). Furthermore, level of importance must be placed with regards to the need for her to regularly engage with her medication and stay mentally active and alert as possible. 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