Care Planning in Geriatrics

INTRODUCTION

It is always best to provide an intervention to every issue that is seen. In relation to the common Geriatric problems, there are different approaches in the planning of care depending on the needs of every individual. Personalized care is being promoted and executed to further and better assist every individual who goes through such kinds of condition.

In the planning of care for the Geriatric patients, there are two kinds of approaches. These two are the Person Centered Approach and the Non-Person Centered Approach.

The Person Centered Approach focuses on the basis of individuality regardless of the persons’ cognitive status, age, race and even gender. In this approach, every elder is subject to the care they need and what is due to them. The healthcare provider in this case should thoroughly identify and gather data to ensure that proper treatment and therapeutic approaches are being executed. What I best int his approach is that, there is no standard criteria for someone with a geriatric condition to be able to fit in. This is basically open to those who need it.

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On the other hand, the Non-Person Centered Approach has different goals and perspective. They focus on something in general rather than the person as a whole. Their intention is to help alleviate the condition of those elders with Geriatric problems, However, their approach is not directly on the elders. Rather, it depends on the mission and vision of their agency.

Aside from the different approaches in handling Geriatric problems, there are principles that Healthcare providers must observe. The importance of these principles and the impact it can create in the development of the elders with geriatric problems.

In this research, techniques and abilities will also be discussed. The different kinds of techniques that can be used to benefit the elders will be elaborated. This will gain advantage on both the Healthcare provider and the elders.

Considering the equality and Cultural aspects of the community, this will surely make an impact to elders with Dementia or other common Geriatric problems. Because this can create an impact on the lives of these elders, it is best to be aware of such things.

TASK

There are different principles involved in the person-centered approach for elders with Dementia and other common Geriatric conditions. These principles will aid every individual that is involved in the management of such conditions.

• Individuality

In individuality, histories are being thoroughly reviewed in order for the healthcare providers to specifically know the kind of treatment or therapeutic management the elders might need. Data are being gathered from the significant others regarding about the specific lifestyle an habitual behaviour of the elder. Since this is individualized, the planning of treatment in this case is basically personalized. What may work for elder 1 may not work for elder 2 because both elders may have different experiences and environmental factors that caused their condition. Also, each elder have different needs and it is the duty of the health care providers to determine the appropriate approach.

• Rights

We certainly consider that every individual has their own rights regardless of their status. In this approach we promote that despite the elder’s condition, we should take into consideration that they deserve to be treated right. And in this way, elders with Dementia or other common geriatric conditions are being protected and they receive the treatment that they truly deserve. Despite their condition, these elders are still human thus, they needed to be treated well.

• Choice

The facility in this kind of approach gives the elders the right to choose what they think is best for them. They’re being given the option to choose for themselves. In this way, they have the freedom to voice out their own preferences.

The elder’s choice be a large undertaking or small undertakings. In the large undertakings, for instance, elders may choose to sign the “Do not Resuscitate” waiver. They have every right to do that for themselves. On the other hand, the small undertaking may include choosing what to wear for that day, the colour of shirt they prefer, whether or not they want a jacket or a raincoat on a rainy day. In this way we are giving the elders to be responsible and make them feel that they are not worthless. This will help them feel that they have the control over their life.

• Privacy

Privacy is not disclosing any information outside of the Health care institution. Information is only being discussed within the circle of the involved health care practitioners. Families are given the assurance that whatever condition the elder has will only be made known to those professionals involved in the treatment. Practitioners may only disclose some information once the family has given them the consent to do so.

• Independence

Independence is one of the goals in the management of elders with dementia and other common geriatric conditions. Some people may think that this is quite impossible to attain, but with the constant assistance elders get from health care practitioners, this is achievable. Health care providers must identify certain situations in which elders may find themselves dependent. Once the health care provider has figured out the elders dependence, it is where the health care provider will make a strategy to assist the elder in achieving his/her independence. This may take a long process that’s why it is best to set goals that are attainable.

• Dignity

Another goal in the management of elders with dementia is the promotion of their dignity. Healthcare providers must promote that despite the elder’s situation they still need to be respected as human beings. Promotion of dignity makes them worth as a person.

• Respect

Respect is very important in the management of elders with dementia. They should be treated with transparency to further avoid the deterioration of the elder. This will also help ensure that elders are not confused. Respect is the summation of all the person-centered approach.

• Autonomy

Every person is subject to their own preference. Since we all have this kind of rights, even elders with dementia should have autonomy. In this way, we are guiding them in deciphering what kind of outcome they want for themselves.

The non-person centered approach to dementia and the Institutional Perspective and the Bio-Medical Perspective.

The Institutional perspective focuses on the policies, rules and regulations in order to maintain the normal function of the physical aspect of the elders with dementia. Aside from the physical aspect, this approach is also taking part in the social and spiritual aspect of the person.

On the other hand, the Bio-Medical Perspective’s main focus is the disease process. This perspective is concerned more of the prevention and alleviation of the common geriatric conditions. They are not in any way relating their efforts to the family or to any healthcare providers. They are more concern of the medications that elders needs, the diagnostic tests to further detect the progression of the disease or even the treatments needed to aid the elders with their condition.

To maintain the condition of elders with dementia, there are techniques that are being used. Among are the following:

• Reality-orientation Approach

This approach focuses on what is going on around the world. The objective data that clients must know such as the date, time, day, year and even the weather. To confirm this to the client’s we must provide evidence such as newspaper, television news and all the like.

• Validation Approach

The focus of this approach is to validate the emotional content of the person. Healthcare providers are looking into what the client is feeling about a certain given situation. It is here that we can check if the expression matches the content of his/her emotions.

• Assistive Technologies

It is in this approach that clients are being assisted in a way that health care provider brings the world to them. Due to their condition, most often they already forgot how it was to live a life that is normal. Through this kind of approach, the elders will gain more hope, better self-esteem thus resulting to sociable elders.

• Reminiscence Techniques

This will help the clients exercise their memories. In this technique, the clients are given the chance to share their experiences in life. The things they’ve gone through and the memorable events in their lives. This is a good measurement of the retained past memories of the elders.

• Holistic Approach

This approach focuses on the person as a whole. This includes the different aspect of the person’s life. The physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspect of the elder is given importance. These four aspects are being given attention and goes hand in hand in the process of holistic approach.

The Public Health has attributed a lot in the management of Dementia. In the Public health, the government funds the programme that is being presented. In a way, this funding will result to an evidence-based practice. This will further develop the management techniques for elders with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions. By doing this, both government and the public and the Institutions will know what is effective and what is not.

Also, they are making the public know and become aware of what is happening in the world of the elders with dementia. Making the public become aware of dementia’s nature will help distinguish the early signs of it and prevent it from worsening.

Awareness of this condition is their way of making it known to everyone that Dementia is something everyone should never neglect because this just doesn’t affect the person having it but it makes a great impact in the community.

Also, health promotions have been made to help reduce the incident of complications of dementia.

The healthcare provider’s attitudes should be taken into consideration. They should instil in their minds that positive attitude attracts positive results, so as negative attitude attracts negative ones. Healthcare providers exist to provide the care that elders with dementia need but not to worsen their condition by the way they treat the elders. Providers must be patient enough and smart enough to think that these elders don’t intend to complicate the situation but it’s simply a given fact that elders with these kinds of conditions aren’t aware of the things they do.

Healthcare providers are in demand in this case due to the massive growth of older adults. Older generation are being outgrown by the new ones. And it’s now time to pay back to these elders what they’ve done.

The code of practice and other published standards has created a great impact in the lives of those individuals with dementia and other common geriatric health conditions. This benefited most on the person centered approach. The impact created was directly received by the recipient, the elders with dementia and other geriatric conditions.

The code of practice has impacted the elders in a way that despite their condition, they are still being protected. We are all aware that elders who possess these kinds of condition are primarily affected on their brain, specifically their memory. Without memory, they are all like physical humans who just wander and don’t know where their lives are leading. But because of the concern and initiative of others for these elders, they’ve set standards for them that while they’re losing their memory they’re not losing their humanity. This won’t give impact to the elders now but also to the next generations of growing elders. This has made a way for everyone to be aware that every human has their rights and that no one being left behind.

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The health sector standards have gained the cooperation of every healthcare provider in providing the right management to elders with dementia and other common geriatric conditions. Moreover, the code of practice has benefitted both the residents and the healthcare providers. To the residents, the code of standards has become their protection from any malpractices. While on the other hand, the code of standard is the guide of the health care providers to do things in the right way and to avoid committing any malpractice that will affect the condition of the elders.

These health sector standards and code of standards and other published standards has benefited the person-centered approach because the standards’cncern are primarily for the purpose of the residents safety as well as the health care providers. This is the only approach that it’s only the resident and the health care providers that are involved. Unlike other approaches which does not directly involves the residents.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this paper has enumerated the different principles involved in the person centered approach that gives benefit to both the residents and the health care providers. This paper primarily focuses about the protection and rights of the elders with dementia and other geriatric conditions, how the different approaches work and the benefits it has for the elders.

Aside from the primary focus of protecting and promoting the rights of these elders, the healthcare providers are at the same time being guided on how to do things right and possibly rule out malpractices to happen. One way or the other, both parties can benefit from the different approaches, range of techniques, the different public health promotions and attitudes to health and the demand for more health care.

RECOMMENDATION

This paper will increase the awareness of the principles of the person centered approach, non-person centered approach, range of techniques used to meet the needs of persons with dementia, the impacts of public health and attitudes to health and demand for healthcare to those individuals whose family members has been affected by these common geriatric conditions.

However, it’s not enough to make the awareness limited to those individuals that are being affected by this phenomenon. It’s always best to make it known to the public because no one knows who’s going to be the next victim. As what they always say the “prevention is better than cure.” Being aware is a way of making a step of preventing things to affect you. Although we don’t always have the control over things, but at least, having the knowledge of these kinds of things will lighten up the load and will help managing easier. These information ill help anybody know how things work especially to elders with dementia and other geriatric health conditions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY/ REFERENCES

Halura, M. (2002). Dementia in New Zealand: Improving Quality in Residential Care. Retrieved from http://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/documents/publications/healthreportdementia.pdf