The number of people over 65 years of age represented 12.4% of the population in the year 2000 but is expected to grow to be 19% by 2030. That means that 72.1 million older people will be seeking health care from a variety of sources by 2030. This creates an environment in which specialists in geriatric health are highly sought after to deal with the specific and various issues that affect aging patients. These patients are highly likely to have chronic health issues that require long term care, either in a specialized facility or in the home. A proactive approach to managing older patients’ health is necessary to ensure that each patient gets the highest quality of care.
The purpose of this course is to provide nursing professionals with knowledge in the area of long-term care of the elderly.
Objectives
- Describe the emotional burden of chronic illness on an older patient.
- Discuss the cultural impact on end of life decisions.
- Describe the best practices of communicating with older patients.
- Explain strategies for dealing with over-involved family members of a long term care patient.
- Explain strategies for dealing with under-involved family members of a long term care patient.
- Identify end-of-life options for a chronically ill patient.
- Explain the emotional impact of multiple morbidities on an aging patient.
