Elder Adults
• Elder adults must adjust to lessening physical and cognitive abilities. Over 85% have some type of chronic disease.
• When elder adults experience cognitive changes, check for possible substance abuse or polypharmacy.
• Cognitive impairment can be acute and reversible, or it can be chronic and irreversible.
• Up to 60% of older adults have some impairment in performance of activities of daily living.
• Some physiologic changes are a normal part of the aging process and do not signal disease.
• Elder adults need more time to complete tasks.
• Age is a weak predictor of survival in traumatic injury and critical illness.
Health Risks in Elder Adults
• Major health problems typically include cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory diseases; diabetes; and cancer.
• The elder adult will change social roles, and these changes may affect psychological health, leading to depression.
• Elder adults need the same nutrition as other adults, but more bulk and fiber, calcium, and vitamins C and A.
• Contraindications for estrogen replacement therapy include
- hypertension
- thrombophlebitis
- cardiac dysfunction
- family history of breast or uterine cancer
• Elder adults clear drugs from kidney and liver more slowly; so medications have longer half-lives, and they can bring on side effects and toxicity at lower doses.