Behavioural Health Risk Factors Assignment

Running head: HEALTHCARE
HealthCare
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HEALTHCARE
Introduction
The report is based on the case study of Leonie a retired school teacher who is 73
years old. He is widowed and lives alone. She arrived at the emergency unit with symptoms
include hypertension, agitated and confused. The report will highlight behavioural health risk
factors of Leonie followed by highlighting the health assessment tools that will be used for
conduction of health assessment. At the end, the report will highlight the nursing
interventions and other nursing obligations in order to manage the health priorities.
Behavioural health risk factors
Decrease in the level of physical activity
According to the case study, Leonie used to walk for half an hour in the morning three
days a week but from the past 6 months she is refraining herself from executing the same.
She was a keen gardener but for the past 12 months, her garden is unkept. These examples
show decrease in the level of physical activity. According to Biesek et al. (2019), decrease in
the level of physical activity among the older adults increase the risk of accidental falls. The
chances of accidental falls are higher for Leonie as she experiences difficulty from standing
from the sitting position and past medical history indicates arthritis in the knees. Biesek et al.
(2019) states that women post menopause suffer from poor bone health and arthritis and
encountering accidental fall increase severity of fatal bone injury and damage of the skeletal
muscles.
Poor level of nutrition
As per the reporting of Leonie’s older sisters, Leonie has been feeding on micro-wave
meals for the past 6-months and this has promoted 6 to10 kilograms of weight gain. Initially
she used to cook her meals own by using vegetables from her own garden. Sudden weight

2HEALTHCARE
gain and lack of vegetables in her meals is indicating poor level of nutrition in her diet. Poor
level of nutrition in the diet of the older adults decreases the level of immunity and thus
increasing the chances of infectious disease. Poor level of nutrition is also increasing her
body mass index (BMI). At present Leonie is obese as she is 160 cm in height and weighs
nearly 105 kilograms (ideal weight should be: 52 to 65 kilograms). High level of weight gain
increasing the overall body pressure over the knees and thus hampering the bone health
further (Verlaan et al. 2017).
Social isolation
Leonie is suffering from isolation. According to the case study, for the past 6 months,
Leonie is spending more time indoors rather than outdoors. She used to go for movies with
her friends but has lost interest in the same. She also ceased executing her painting and
gardening activities. Newall and Menec (2019) stated that social isolation for the older adults
can increase the level of depression and thus hampering the overall mental health condition.
Hamper in the mental health condition will impact the physiological health of the person
further. Leonie is vulnerable to develop depression as she has lost her husband from cancer 8
years back, has no children and lives all alone.
Assessment tools
Cumulative Index Rating Scale (CIRS)
It is a comprehensive medical assessment tool that is used for assessing the level of
physical impairment and the severity of the illness. Thus the use of the comprehensive
medical assessment tool will help in assessing the level of physical fitness of Leonie. The
assessment of this tool mainly relies in the clinical judgement of the physicians and the
subjective symptoms reported by the patients. Martínez-Velilla, Cambra-Contin and Ibáñez-
Beroiz (2014) stated that relying on the clinical judgement of the physician can be regarded