Older Adults Medical Problems - Paper Example

The older adult medical problem refers to the health conditions experienced by the older adults, especially those aged 60 years and above. There are some factors, which causes the older adults medical problems.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

Causes of Older adults Medical Problems

One of the most prominent causes is diabetes. People do not just get diabetic because of old age. Some changes which occur due to growing older tend to affect people with diabetes.

Diabetes is one of the major chronic diseases. People are said to be diabetic when the level of their blood sugar rises above normal. Our bodies have been programmed in such a way that particular foods we eat will undergo a process that will change it to glucose. The glucose formed gets into the body cells by the aid of insulin. In the cases of Diabetes, our body cannot create enough insulin hence too much glucose will remain in the blood. The condition is called diabetes. The disease has a long term effect which leads to stroke or even heart attack.

Diabetes comes in two different forms; type 2 Diabetes and type 1 diabetes. Diabetes of category 1 is seen mostly among the adults who are yet to attain maturity and children while the older people often experience the diabetes of category 2. In the second type of diabetes, the body makes insulin but fails to use it in the right way. Type 2 diabetes is not easily noticeable, but there are some factors that one can see and discover if he/she has diabetes. They may feel hungry, thirsty, feel tired, often urinate, and even increase in weight or obesity. They may even heal slowly from bruises or cuts (Watson, 2015).

Treatment

According to Buysschaert and Bergman (2013), diabetes can be prevented, controlled or delayed by using various classes of drugs or lifestyle interventions. A patient who has diabetes is given prescribed medicine from a qualified doctor that will help control the intensity of glucose in the blood, thus relieving them from the advancement of the disease. Screening for diabetes is also an important consideration for the treatment of Diabetes. Surveillance data shows that the older adults are at a greater threat of diabetes (American Diabetes Association, 2016). Screening should be individualized in older people keeping consideration to complications which may lead to functional impairment. Other risk factors such as lipid therapy, treatment of hypertension, and aspirin therapy associated with cardiovascular activity should be treated.

However, in cases where the disease is not intense, the doctor may advise the older adults with diabetes to keep control of the disease by carrying out some activities like;

Advising diabetic on healthy food selection. Educating diabetic on how different foods affect the level of glucose in the body and try to avoid them. This will also go in line with foods that help in weight loss.

Asking people suffering from diabetes to have a regular exercise which helps in regulating the level of glucose in body cells.

Population

In the United States, an estimated prevalence of 25.9% or 11.8 million of the total number of older adults above 60 years has been diagnosed and undiagnosed with this medical condition. Approximately 1.5 million of new older adults are being affected by this medical problem each year, and it is estimated that there will be a threefold outcome of those suffering from the disease in 20 years time due to aging (American Diabetes Association, 2016).

Personal care needs

Personal care needs of the older adult can be used to refer to everyday needs experienced by most people as they get old and this specifically revolves around nursing and attention. It can also be referred to as unmet needs and services that the older adult requires. As we age, we face additional challenges and needs that call for other people to help support us in some of our daily routines.

Help to the older adult

As a human service provider, I will help the older adult and their family in different ways. I will act as a caretaker and make visits on particular days to help in their transportation so that they may attend to medical appointments or even attend social functions. Helping them take a stroll will be beneficial to those with diabetes as it will act as a form of exercise to help in reducing the amount of glucose in the blood.

I will also ensure that I offer proper nutrition to them by consulting a nutritionist to know which meal best fits his/her medical condition. For my diabetic elderly adult, I will ask on foods that help reduce the amount of glucose in the blood, and this is what I will provide.

References

American Diabetes Association. (2016). Overall Numbers, Diabetes, and Prediabetes. National Diabetes Statistics Report.

Buysschaert, M., & Bergman, M. (2013). Diagnosis of Prediabetes and Diabetes, Prevention. Prevention of Diabetes, 33-46. doi:10.1002/9781118661321.ch3

Watson, R. R. (2015). Glucose Intake and Utilization in Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes, Xxiii. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800093-9.00057-0