20 Jan Do you think that Mrs. S. is

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 1 Discussion

DQ1 What will be possible roles and responsibilities of future healthcare professionals in long-term care facilities and home care?

DQ2 Consider the term “Baby Boomer”. What does it mean, how old are they and what characteristics do they posses that are different from the other age groups?

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 3 Discussion

DQ1 Generally the level of cognition declines as one gets older. How can you ensure that this decline will be minimal? List five things that you can do to improve your cognitive level.

DQ2 Based on what you learned in the chapter, why does driving become more difficult with advancing age? What other life tasks may be more difficult for older adults, and why?

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 If you could design a health promotion/disease prevention course or workshop for older adults, what topic would you discuss? Why would you select that particular topic?

DQ2 Identify and article on older adults and sexuality/sexually transmitted infections. Summarize the article with your thoughts on sexuality and STI in the older population.

How have your family, culture, and religion affected:

Your own sexuality?

Your views on the sexuality of senior adults?

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 7 Discussion

DQ1 Develop a curriculum for an elder college. In addition to possible course offerings and student services, design a physical environment suitable for these older students.

DQ2 An older adult client needs long-term services and supports and wants to stay in her home. She is on Medicare and Medicaid and receives modest Social Security benefits. What resources would you pursue to assist her?

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 10 Discussion

DQ1 You have just met with a patient who will be included in your caseload. The patient is an 82-year-old man whose wife died last year. He has no family members who live in the community. He was referred to you by his physician, who is concerned because he has lost 20 pounds in the past year. The patient is 5’10” and his current weight is 158 pounds. What additional information do you need to assist this patient? What could be the potential causes of his weight loss? What are your recommendations? To whom would you refer him?

DQ2 Assume each of the following scenarios occurs in an older adult patient. Describe what the primary problem is and how it may be avoided or corrected.

A patient taking an expensive medication every other day versus daily as prescribed so that it will “last longer.”

A patient started on a new H2 antagonist for a peptic ulcer at normal dosing develops confusion a few days later.

A patient receiving multiple medications, all of which are taken at different times of the day. When asked, he or she has no idea what each medication is, what it is used for, or when to take it.

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 11 Discussion

What is polypharmacy? How does it occur? Identify a peer reviewed article on evidence based practice that impact pharmacology for the older adult.

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 12 Discussion

DQ1 The seven principles of universal design are:

Equitable use

Flexibility in use

Simple and intuitive use

Perceptible information

Tolerance for error

Low physical effort

Size and space for approach and use

Discuss how these relate specifically to an aging population. Come up with specific examples. You may need to do some additional research online to relate these to concepts learned in this chapter.

DQ2 Discuss ways in which corporations could design work schedules to better serve their older employees. Discuss possible contributions older workers can offer their employers. Are there any modifications that could be made to the work site to aid the older employees?

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 14 Discussion

View the American Medical Association video Health Literacy and Patient Safety: Help Patients Understand, and discuss it with your classmates. (The video is online here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGtTZ_vxjyA.) This multimedia program is a great kick-off to start building knowledge about literacy facts and how limited literacy affects patients in medical situations.

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 2 Chapter 7 Case Study

A 76 year-old man with a long history of peptic ulcer disease has become increasingly fatigued and short of breath over the past three weeks. He complains of a dull pain below his sternum that is worse following meals. On physical examination he looks pale and has a slightly elevated heart rate.

1. What might be this man’s diagnosis?

2. Suggest some possible explanations for his shortness of breath and elevated heart rate

3. From a physiologic standpoint, why might he be more difficult for this man to compensate for his current problem than it would be for a 30 year-old man? In your answer, explore possibilities from at least three different organ system.

NUR4286 Gerontology and End of Life

Week 7 Case Study

Interprofessional patient-centered care for older adults and their families

Ms. S, who is 80 years old, has a diagnosis of dementia and has been living with her younger sister (Ms. R., 68 years old) for two years since the death of Mrs. S.’s husband. Mrs. S.’s two children live three hours away and visit on holidays. She has few other visitors, and Ms. R rarely takes her out of the house because they don’t have a car. Ms. R. gets groceries delivered and uses local senior center transportation for Mrs. S.’s infrequent doctor’s appointments. A neighbor is concerned because she saw Mrs. S. with some bruises on her arm when she came over to chat with Ms. R. Ms. R. said that Mrs. S. falls down and bumps up against the furniture. The neighbor reached out to you as a healthcare professional. You want to help.

Do you think that Mrs. S. is being abused? Why or why not?

If you are unable to make a decision, what other information do you need?

If you do think she is being abused, what should you do?

If you don’t think she’s being abused, what should you do?

What resources could be helpful to you, Mrs. S., and Ms. R?

Respond to this question incorporating professional communication skills, attitudes, values, and expectations about physical and mental aging in the provision of interprofessional patient-centered care of older adults and their families.