Nursing: Chronic Problems of Old Age, Oral Hygiene Importance, External Factors of Aging, and More

This text covers various topics in nursing, including chronic problems associated with old age, oral hygiene importance, external factors of aging, and more. It also discusses the roles and responsibilities of EN in providing care for deceased persons, functional assessment tools for assessing older patients, and theories of aging.

Nursing
Student’s name:
Institutional:

1.CHRONIC PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OLD AGE
Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, hypertension and Parkinson’s disease.
IMPACT OF MULTIPLE DIAGNOSIS IN IDENTIFYING CARE FOR PATIENTS
It interferes with their quality of life and ability to perform tasks. It is also associated with
increased rates of functional decline and mortality. There is increased risk associated
with visits to physicians, prescriptions, home health visit, own expenses and cumulative
health care expenditure.
2. IMPORTANCE OF ORAL HYGIENE FOR PARTIAL OR FULLY EDENTULOUS
CLIENTS.
Oral hygiene involves proper cleaning of teeth regularly. The importance of oral hygiene
is to prevent buildup of plague and tartar. This prevent dental carries, periodontal
disease and decreases incidence of halitosis (Van Der Weijden, & Slot, 2011).
CARE OF SOFT TISSUES, DENTURES AND ORAL PROSTHESTICS
Use a clean soft toothbrush and water to clean dentures. Ensure that tongue, palate
and gums are cleaned morning and night with a soft toothbrush before dentures are
inserted, ensure regular visit of dentist to check mouths soft tissue (Bissett, & Preshaw,
2011).
3. EXTERNAL FACTORS AND STEREOTYPES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING AND
HOW IT IMPACT OLDER PERSON.
Life style for example, alcohol consumption, stress, poor diet and lack of exercise
causes stiffness and cardiovascular diseases. Some medications contribute to aging
and hormones essential for aging process is under genetic control. Growth
differentiation hormone factor 11 are determined by genetics and blood levels of this
hormone decreases with time causing aging (poggioli et.al, 2016).

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF EN IN PROVIDING CARE FOR DECEASED
PERSON
Immediate care with the family; at no time should the family be rushed. Prepare the
family to enter the environment of deceased valuables and ensure that personal effects
are documented and given to nominated next of kin. Engage social worker early to
assist the family. Involve pastoral care if the hospital has pastoral care service, special
rituals such as washing and draping of the body.
5. FUNCTIONAL ASSESMENT TOOLS FOR ASSESSING OLDER PATIENTS
i. Self-care. This checks if the patient has any need of assertive for walking or need any
assistance for daily activities for example grooming, toilet use, feeding or bathing.
ii. Fall assessment Tool. Check if there has been any history of fall within the last
12months if there is difficult in walking or balance (Moyer, 2012).
iii. Incontinence which checks on patient’s elimination of urine rate and amount.
iv. Impaired vision to checks visual acuity by Snellen chart.
v. Impaired hearing - asses hearing abilities of patient.
vi. Depression. Feeling of being hopeless, as the patient if he has had a feeling of
hopelessness for the past 2weeks.
vii. Oral health. Checks if the patient has any oral discomfort for example chewing
problem or difficulty in cleaning teeth.
7.
Restraints Limitations Legal ramifications
Physical restraints Violate patient dignity and
patient autonomy ceases
Basic human right Privacy
and safety

Chemical restraints Loss of memory and
increased dependence
Medication control
Psychological restraints When someone has metal
disorder it’s hard to use
Basic human right ,privacy
and safety
8. LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH CARING OLDER CLIENTS
Beneficence. This is caring for them in such a way that they will benefit.
Non –maleficence. Do not harm. Treat them with great care.
Autonomy. enabling the existence and feeling of freedom of choice and self-
governance.
Informed consent before any treatment is given.
9. ROLE OF ACFI AND RAScareQA IN RESIDENTIAL AREA
ACFI is used to measure the level of each resident need based on activities of daily
living. its role is to allocate Australian government subsidy to residential aged care
providers. RAScareQA is an objective to figure out the face and content validity of the
residential care quality. Its role is to address and determine quality of care and get
information about what services are offered (Australian Institute of Health, 2012).
10. PHYSICAL TRIGGERS OF AGGRESSION AND CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR
AMONG CLIENTS IN AGED
Drug therapy, illness, fear, depression triggers aggression and challenging behaviors.
Enrolled nurse can manage such factors by introducing exercise and activities such as
baking classes or cooking which will engage the client’s thoughts and hence distracting

them from aggression or other behaviors. This may involve working in groups, i.e, group
therapy (Heathcote, Chia, & Hibberd, 2011).
11. THEORIES OF AGING
a) Biological theory. Aging is as a result of sequential switching on and off of certain
genes.
b) Psychological theory. Mutual withdrawal process whereby the older adults willingly
slows down by retiring as expected by the community.
c) Disengagement theory. This theory brings out the fact that aging is certain to happen.
It comes naturally and no one opposes adults to withdraw from society.
d) Social exchange theory: states the stability and change of exchanges among
individuals across life span.
e) Wear and tear theory: states that aging is through deteriorative process that operate
in organized manner
f) Activity theory: Aging occurs as a result of older adults staying active and maintaining
social interaction.
12. NORMAL PHYSIOLOGY OF AGING IN RELATION TO DISEASE PROCESS
1) Sensory: Changes in sensory system occur especially on hearing, peripheral
sensation, smell, taste and vision. This influence their quality of life.
2) Cardiac: Deposit of aging pigment and heart cell muscle degenerate.
3) Neurological: brain and spinal cord lose nerve cells and weight.
4) Musculoskeletal: loss of bone density, bones become fragile and joints become
weak.
5) Genitourinary: muscle changes and can affect bladder control.

6) Endocrine: hormone receptors become less sensitive.
7) Integumentary: skin become thinner and more easily damaged.
8) Cancer disorders: older people are likely to develop cancer.
13. HOW TO PROVIDE COMFORT FOR A GRIEVING FAMILY.
Nurse should normalize grief, console the family members that what they are going
through is normal and there is no right way for one to grieve, they need to be
encouraged to identify and express their feelings.
14. Both are correct
15. COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY
They are used alongside medical treatments prescribed by doctor. They include mind
and body practices and massage therapy (Lindquist, Tracy, & Snyder, 2018).
16. CODE OF ETHICS FOR NURSES IN AUSTRALIA AND CODE OF
PROFESSIONAL
Code of professionals for nurses in Australia include nurses guide to practice and
competent manner. Members must perform professional duties in ethical manner with
honesty, appropriate skills and good faith. Members to act promptly in service of client.
Members should not wrongly present professional qualifications and to operate within
limits of qualifications. Member should not disclose client’s confidential information in
order to build community’s trust and confidence and enhance dignity. Nurses to respect
the dignity, culture, ethnicity and beliefs of people (Council, 2013.
17. AGED CARE RISK CLASSIFICATION
Most of the risks that are faced by aged care industry has to do with complex medical
conditions and potential for important errors to be made by staff for example nutritional

and fluid intake errors or incomplete fall protection while care is being delivered by
trained care givers.

References
Australian Institute of Health. (2012). Residential Aged Care in Australia 2010-11: A
Statistical Overview (No. 36). AIHW.
Bissett, S., & Preshaw, P. (2011). Guide to providing mouth care for older
people. Nursing Older People (through 2013), 23(10), 14.
Council, S. A. N. (2013). Code of ethics for nursing practitioners in South
Africa. Pretoria: South African Nursing Council, 3-5.
Heathcote, J., Chia, S. H., & Hibberd, J. (2011). Group and individual work with older
people: a practical guide to running successful activity-based programmes.
Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Lindquist, R., Tracy, M. F., & Snyder, M. (Eds.). (2018). Complementary & alternative
therapies in nursing. Springer Publishing Company.
Moyer, V. A. (2012). Prevention of falls in community-dwelling older adults: US
Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Annals of internal
medicine, 157(3), 197-204.
Van Der Weijden, F., & Slot, D. E. (2011). Oral hygiene in the prevention of periodontal
diseases: the evidence. Periodontology 2000, 55(1), 104-123.
Poggioli, T., Vujic, A., Yang, P., Macias-Trevino, C., Uygur, A., Loffredo, F. S., ... &
Gonzalez, E. (2016). Circulating growth differentiation factor 11/8 levels decline
with age. Circulation research, 118(1), 29-37.