Healthy Ageing Essay: Empowering the Older Adult
Question
Task: Develop a healthy ageing essay using the context of healthy ageing in older adults, critically analyse your role as a registered nurse in empowering the older adult. In your response discuss current evidence-based approached to the promotion of health ageing.
Answer
As per the investigation on healthy ageing essay, ageing occurs as the outcome of the accumulation of molecular and cellular damage over the course of time. This causes deterioration in physical and mental abilities. Besides, this increases disease risk. Ageing progression leads to death (WHO, 2020). According to Bozzaroet al. (2018), old age brings vulnerability which increases the possibilities of harm and exploitation. Thus, it makes older individuals in greater need of receiving public health responses to ameliorate the losses of ageing (WHO, 2020). Hence, the roles of health professionals, specifically registered nurses assist in improving life quality during ageing for promoting the empowerment of old people.Thus, this healthy ageing essayaims to understand insight the role of registered nurse in empowering older adult. This critical assessment on healthy ageing essay will evaluate the importance of healthy ageing in older individuals; thereby, discussing the role of evidence-based approaches to the promotion of healthy aging.
Ageing and its impact on older individuals from the age of 60 years or above especially in the developed and developing countries varies (Who.int, 2020). It is explained that the process of Ageing is natural and associated with remarkable changes in mental and physical aspects and the effects of ageing in elderly people can be divided into physiological and mental changes (Mayoclinic.org, 2020). Moreover, it reduces bone and muscle mass resulting in loss of strength; therefore it makes them vulnerable to fractures and leads a life with restricted movements. So, all these changes reduce the life quality of elderly people (Amaryaet al., 2018). Furthermore, it is also stated in the healthy ageing essaythat the mental health of older individuals is reported to be good while several of them face mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, dementia or schizophrenia (Apa.org, 2020).However, this can be addressed and changed to promote better healthcare systems in ageing populations via retaining physical and emotional stability (Reis et al., 2016). Elderly are encouraged to increase participation in life events, social inclusion and better life quality. Thus, these are integrated into healthy ageing discussed in the next section.
Healthy ageing is defined as "the process of developing and maintaining the functional ability that supports well-being in older age" (Who.int, 2020). It states that functional abilities focus on the development of capabilities of older people that enables them to do what they value. Thus, WHO (2020) has considered healthy ageing as one of their goals between 2015 and 2030. Furthermore, Healthy ageing is supported by the theoretical frameworks of "Activity theory" and "Continuity theory". Activity theory demonstrates the effectiveness of maintaining social activities. This implies that older individuals can gain a positive sense of self by conducting roles that require engagement and are related to social contribution which encourages life activities having a positive impact (Cosco, Howse & Brayne, 2017). Continuity theory states that self-identity is built from the roles executed by individuals. If the lost roles are replaced by social activities and family work, it continues or maintains the self-identity which has a positive impact during ageing (Henning et al., 2016). Therefore, these are integral parts of successful ageing and health ageing emphasizes on the maintenance of life activities to implement physical and mental well-being.
In addition to the above aspects discussed in the healthy ageing essay, the health of older people requires special attention owing to the fragility of health during ageing and Registered nurses (RNs) are an indispensable part of the healthcare domain. This makes the role of healthcare professionals like nurses very significant for implementing positive changes in the lives of the ageing population (ref). In Ireland, RNs participate in professional development and clinical assistance to develop clinical expertise. This makes RNs immensely valuable in geriatric care. Rodger and Hussey (2017) mention that RNs are able to engage in reporting and analysing chronic diseases in older people to prevent or delay in the negative outcomes in old patients. They also say that effective strategies of learning and training help RNs improve their healthy behaviours. Moreover, according to Viña-García-Bericua andRomán-Medina (2019), ageing provides the complexity of multi-morbidity and difficulty in meeting health needs that have challenged the role of RNs such as providing comprehensive care and address health problems; for examples, mental illnesses and physiques (Hunter & Miller, 2018).A study that was conducted in the Norwegian community for elderly care evaluated the competence of nursing staffs, found to be significant for a better healthcare system for elderly people (Bing-Jonsson et al., 2016).
This study considered to support the readings of healthy ageing essay measured the competence levels of nursing professionals by use of variables. Nursing staff is found to be possess competence in varying levels. Registered nurses possess higher degrees of education and scored higher than assistant nurses (Bing-Jonsson et al., 2016). This reflects the need of education to impart better professional effectiveness and improved competence as registered nurses for elderly care.
RNs' role in the empowerment of older individuals that Willetts et al. (2017) highlighted is that the importance of knowledge and skills of nurses for aged care programmes and aligns with the healthcare needs of the ageing population. As healthy ageing ends in the outcome of a feeling of empowerment in older individuals is RN's role as the link between healthy ageing and empowerment. Bernoth and Winker (2017) explain that providing care and guiding older individuals, empowerment is promoted by RNs in old individuals arenecessary. With the above roles, RNs should focus on the development of logical reasoning and evidence-based practices for providing care such as a priority for developing focused care, person-centre care that designed to address urgent chronic health issues and provide intervention timely. Thus, removing the feeling of helplessness due to social exclusion and restricted activities which lead to healthy ageing.
According to the research on healthy ageing essay, evidence based approaches to promote healthy aging can be considered as the way of designing, executing and assessing the programs that are taken from the evaluated models for the purpose of addressing health issues in ecological context (WHO, 2020). Here, the consideration of various evidence-based approaches can be considered as NRs' liability to promote the healthy aging because they will base on rigorous study of intervention and model programmes that are carried out with population for improving quality of life of older individuals as well as enhancing the self-efficacy in managing healthy behaviours of elderly (NCOA, 2020). Thus, the chronic disease self-management programmes support elderly's self-management for dealing with the problems such as resentment, fatigue, exhaustion and segregation and ensuring proper exercise for perpetuating and developing flexibility and patience (Dye et al., 2018). It is clear that these frequently exercises utilised for maintaining and building physical health in older people including cardiovascular workout, cooldown and robustness training and others. Moreover, healthy IDEAS (Identifying, Depression, Empowering activities for Seniors) includes four-evidence based elements of care management to older individuals in home environment to link older adults to primary care and empowering older people to deal with depression through encouraging them with meaningful activities(Blackburn, Wilkins-Ho & Wiese, 2017).
Ageing is associated with deterioration of physical and mental health in older people. The increasing difficulty of old age acts a burden on them and their society. This leads to loneliness, reduced participation in life events, social exclusion and isolation. Healthy aging promotes physical and mental well-being. This has a synchronised vibe with the concepts of "activity theory" and "continuity theory". Thus, it can be concluded in the healthy ageing essaythat the role of registered nurses is very pivotal in promoting good health and assisting old individuals towards healthy ageing, promoting engagement and empowering to them.?
Reference List
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