Frail Elderly: Geriatric Chronic Disease

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Patient Case
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Many geriatric patients develop various chronic diseases that require constant monitoring from healthcare specialists. For this reason, nurses should know how they can help their frail clients and provide the most effective care that addresses their needs (Kane, Ouslander, Resnick, & Malone, 2018). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of such conditions as dementia, delirium, and depression on geriatric patients and analyze a client case.

Discussion

Depression is a condition in which geriatric patients experience chronically bad mood and inability to feel happiness. The complexity of this disease lies in the fact that, in senior patients, it can be perceived as the norm; however, depression affects all somatic diseases strongly and complicates their prognosis (Staples, 2016). In clients with depression, the blood sugar level may increase and decrease rather often, and blood pressure may change quickly. If depression is not treated properly in frail elders, it becomes quite difficult to normalize other health-related indicators. In turn, delirium is a condition in which the senior patient experiences a loss of contact with reality; they are disoriented and exhibit chaotic speech and motor activity. Frequently enough, in frail patients, delirium occurs after injuries or illnesses (Jackson, Wilson, Richardson, & Lord, 2016). In general, the condition manifests itself strongly in the evening or at night. The individual experiencing delirium does not remember or vaguely remembers what they did. It is crucial that delirium is aggravated by the wrong treatment.

Dementia encompasses such conditions as disorders of memory, orientation, attention, recognition, and planning (Fong, Davis, Growdon, Albuquerque, & Inouye, 2015). At the same time, the geriatric patient loses not only their professional but also everyday skills (Tan et al., 2017). This disease is often diagnosed in advanced stages, and a mildly manifested disorder is considered the norm in senior age, which is fundamentally wrong because the condition undermines the quality of life of the patient. Dementia often begins with a change in the character of the patient and, if improperly treated, worsens the individual’s overall condition.

Patient Case

A 79-year-old woman presented to the institution; her gloomy mood was bothering her for quite a while, and the woman complained she had thoughts of killing herself. According to her, she realized that such thoughts were destructive, so she decided to seek help. The plan for assessment and diagnosis included a diagnostic evaluation, interview, and physical examination of the patient (Staples, 2016). In addition, a blood test was run to eliminate the possibility that the condition was triggered by a medical disorder. Family history and environmental factors were also evaluated to determine the further plan of care. Apart from depressive moods, the patient had low energy, poor appetite, experienced trouble falling asleep and had poor concentration.

As the patient was diagnosed with depressive disorder, she was prescribed antidepressants by the healthcare specialist. She showed some improvement in two weeks but was recommended to continue taking her medication to achieve a sustained effect. The patient was managed not only by a nurse but also by a psychiatrist to ensure the symptoms would improve (Staples, 2016). Patient education included instructions on self-help and effective coping strategies. The woman was informed about the importance of regular exercising and was instructed on an adequate workout regime. The patient’s plan of care may be considered effective since the symptoms have improved in the first two weeks, and the woman noted she felt more energetic than before and had an appetite. However, in the future, it might be helpful to include family members in the process of care to ensure the patient feels support from relatives.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that geriatric patients suffering from such conditions as dementia, delirium, and depression require particular attention from nurses. These diseases have a prolonged negative effect on other health-related indicators, which complicates the process of care. It is crucial to detect the development of these conditions at an early stage when possible and not to ignore the concerns of patients and their family members.

References

Fong, T. G., Davis, D., Growdon, M. E., Albuquerque, A., & Inouye, S. K. (2015). The interface between delirium and dementia in elderly adults. The Lancet Neurology, 14(8), 823-832.

Jackson, T. A., Wilson, D., Richardson, S., & Lord, J. M. (2016). Predicting outcome in older hospital patients with delirium: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 31(4), 392-399.

Kane, R. L., Ouslander, J. G., Resnick, B., & Malone, M. L. (2018). Essentials of clinical geriatrics (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional.

Staples, W. H. (2016). Geriatric physical therapy: A case study approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Tan, Z. S., Damron-Rodriguez, J., Cadogan, M., Gans, D., Price, R. M., Merkin, S. S., … Chodosh, J. (2017). Team-based interprofessional competency training for dementia screening and management. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(1), 207-211.

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Frail Elderly: Geriatric Chronic Disease

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