HLTENN013 Implement And Monitor Care Of The Older Person

1. a) Discuss reasons for the changing demographics of the aged population.

Answer:

In Australia, changing trend in demographics of the elderly population has been facilitated by factors such as mortality, migration and fertility.

Increased life expectancy, especially among the elderly, is a result of reduced mortality. Low fertility has resulted in a slower growth of the youthful population than in the past (McDonald 2017). Immigrants are mostly taken from the working-age population, but they also age and contribute to the expansion of the elderly population. Urbanization, migratory patterns, and variations in the economic variables are responsible for influencing the timing and speed of these demographic change.

1.b) Discuss how these changes influence aged care services provision and the impact this may have on the older person.  

Answer:

Older people have different health-care needs than younger people, which will have an impact on the future demands on the health-care system. Chronic diseases (such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes) are more common in older persons than they are in younger adults.

2) Describe two (2) theories of ageing and how these theories may affect the individual’s adaptation to growing old.  

Answer:

Disengagement Theory: According to the disengagement hypothesis of ageing, older individuals withdrawing from society and personal connections is natural and appropriate as they age.

Activity Theory: According to activity theory, being intellectually and physically active makes elderly people happy. The necessity of continuing social interaction is emphasised in this approach.

3.a) Describe the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) including the three (3) domains and the categories within each domain.

Answer:

Activities of daily living (ADL), behaviour (BEH) and complex health care (CHC) are the three main domains of ACFI. Each of these domains are further categorized in 4 distinct levels including nil, low, medium and high (Health.gov.au. 2021).

3.b) What impact does ACFI have on aged care provision in residential aged care?

Answer:

The major consequence of ACFI has been to transfer more available money to people with high care requirements and less to residents with low care needs; however, this effect has been overwhelmed by cost increases that exceed the amount of indexation given.

4. a) Describe two (2) health assessment tools that may be used to assess the mental, physical and/or functional ability of the older person.                            

Answer:

The Functional Analysis Screening Tool (FAST) is a tool that may be used to detect a variety of variables that may impact the incidence of problem behaviours common among the elderly people. It should only be used as a preliminary screening tool in conjunction with a complete functional evaluation or study of problem behaviour.

Mental Health Outcomes and Assessment Tools (MH-OAT) is another method which can be used to assess mental health and related outcomes in an elderly individual (Health.nsw.gov.au. 2015).

4. b) How could the enrolled nurse use these tools to promote health maintenance for the older person?

Answer:

In order to implement MH-OAT tool, a nurse must get the responses of Kessler-10 questionnaire from the patient before initiation of any treatment procedure. Based on the responses, the risk, outcomes or further treatment of the patient can be planned.

The Functional Analysis Screening Tool (FAST) should be included as a part of the comprehensive geriatric assessment. An enrolled nurse must identify the change in functionality and other behaviours of the patient.

5) Define the following current legal and ethical terms that may have an impact on the older person.    

a. Guardianship

b. Advocacy

c. Advanced health directives

d. Rights and responsibilities

Answer:

1. Guardianship in elderly care can be defined as a person's role in caring for someone who no longer has the mental ability to do so.
2. Advocacy can be explained as the practise of standing behind a person and speaking out on their behalf in a way that represents that person's best interests (agedcarequality.gov.au. 2020).
3. An Advance Health Directive (AHD) is a legal document that allows you to make decisions now about the care you'd like - or don't want - if you ever were sick or hurt and couldn't communicate your preferences.  AHD would effectively become the individual's voice in such a situation.
4. Rights are privileges imposed upon an individual by a governing body and are usually codified in laws; responsibilities are obligations or duties that might be ascribed to or assumed by individual. In a court of law, rights can be disputed or defended.

6) How can the enrolled nurse ensure their effectiveness in providing positive outcomes for the older person?

Answer:

Promoting and modelling a positive attitude toward ageing, including respect and empathy for the elderly. Effective communication which includes verbal and written abilities, as well as identifying the challenges that older persons face in receiving, comprehending, and giving information. Enrolled nurse may help the elderly patients in adopting coping strategies for their day- to-day problems and may also ensure therapeutic compliance by incorporating evidence- based strategies.

7) Discuss your awareness of community values, attitudes and beliefs towards ageing and the aged person.

Answer:

Aging has been shown negative or ageist attitudes extensively by the community people. People from elderly age group are often abused either physically or mentality and given lower level of respect.

8) Describe three (3) age related changes in the body affecting medication  

Answer:

Body water content is decreased with aging and this affect distribution of the medication. Age related modifications in kidney and liver functions also affects the metabolism and excretion of drugs. Absorption of drug is also diminished due to declined functions of particular organ systems (health.vic.gov.au. 2021).

9) Define and describe four (4) types of elder abuse to which the older person may be subjected.

Answer:

Psychological, Physical, Sexual and Neglect are the types of abuse which may affect the elderly persons.

10. a) Describe four (4) behaviours that may be triggered by physical, emotional, environmental and/or mental stress (including dementia) in the older person during a hospital stay.

10.b) Describe three (3) nursing actions that may be taken to eliminate or minimise the impact of these behaviours taking into consideration the likes and dislikes, culture and gender of the individual.          

Answer: