Topic 4: Aging With Dignity

Aging With Dignity, 2010) [Five Wishes]  

Objectives-                                                

Understands Advanced Directives
Distinquishes between Living Wills, Power of Attorney for Health/Finance and Property, Advanced Directives, and Do-Not-Rescuscitate
Ability to list 2  resources to obtain forms for Advanced Directives
Encourages those without an Advocate for their healthcare needs  to obtain

Activity - Review the legalities of Advanced Directives in your state. Listen to some of the stories told located on the Website: Aging With Dignity.org accessible at  http://www.agingwithdignity.org/stories.php
Feel free to share your story.

Source Readings- 

Aging With Dignity. (2010). The Five Wishes Online. Retrieved from http://www.agingwithdignity.org/index.php

Family Doctor Editorial Staff. (2010). Advanced directives and do-not-rescuscitate orders. Retrieved from http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/pat-advocacy/endoflife/003.html , from the Web site: The American Academy of Physicians. (2011). Smart Patient Guide - End of Life Issues - Advanced Directives from http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home.html

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2010). Living wills and advance directives for medical decisions. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/living-wills/HA00014

Wisconsin Department of Health Services. (2011). Advanced Directives- Legal Wills, Power of Attorney. Recieved from http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forms/AdvDirectives/

Feel free to use other sources as well for the development of your discussion.

Technology of "Voki" in Geriatric Nursing Education

Please comment your thoughts about using a Voki avatar with voice activation to enrich your knowledge about Geriatric Nursing.

Survey Monkey Survey To Determine Who Wants To Be A Geriatric Nurse?

Please take the survey located on the Weblink provided at your earliest convenience. Thank you, Mary

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RL3JK2Y

A Potential Geriatric Nursing Lesson Plan

Please click over the following link to view this lesson plan. Feel free to comment. Thank you, Mary Huelskamp, RN, BSN, Future Nurse Educator

http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/7729718

A Brief Geriatric Exam

In researching quizzes relevant to Geriatric Nursing Knowledge, I found a brief quiz written by University of California, Los Angeles. Feel free to open the link and test your knowledge about the Geriatric Nursing. Good luck.
http://www.ucop.edu/agrp/docs/la_knowledge2.pdf

True or False

Lack of exercise leads to increase confusion?  True or False?

Studies reveal the Hippocampus shrinks with lack of exerise. The hippocampus is responsible for our short term memory; thus with lack of exercise we become more confused (Horton,2011).

Reference

Horton, J. (2011). Short term memory loss in old age? Blame lack of exercise. Retrieved from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7869836/short_term_memory_loss_in_old_age_blame.html?cat=70

Topic 3: Planning Care for an Elderly Client With Memory Impairment




                                                           (Bing Images, 2011)
                                     Click on Image to scale larger view

  Objective

Ability to define impaired memory

Ability to reflect how impaired memory affects the elderly daily living

Ability to develop a quality care plan for a memory impaired elderly client

Activity 

1) Watch the selected YouTube videos presented in this blog about Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, and Delirium.
2) Use the Internet or the Library and research diseases/conditions that affect memory of elderly persons.
3) Devise a care plan for a hypothetical elderly client with memory impairment. Consider using NANDA, NIC, and NOC to relate specific nursing diagnosis, outcomes, interventions in developing a care plan for your client.

Suggested Readings 

California Pacific Medical Center. (2011). Diseases and conditions affecting memory. Retrieved from  http://www.cpmc.org/advanced/neurosciences/memory/memory_causes.html#More Information

McDougall, G. J. (2006). Care plan constructor: Impaired memory. Retreived from  http://coursewareobjects.elsevier.com/objects/elr/Ackley/NDH8e/constructor/careplan_105.php

Delirium in the Older Person: Family Guide Part 1 and 2

I apologize for any inconvenience, but you will have to click the following link to view Part 2. Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/v/1eeDlkjQWhE&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3%22%3E%3C/param%3E%3Cparam

What is Alzheimer's disease?

The Purple Scarf Alzheimer's Animation

Dementia - Social Vulnerability

Screening Tools To Evaluate Cognitive Impairments

Screening tools, such as the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and the Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) assist nurses' in evaluating older adult's cognitive status to detect early changes in physiological status, learning ability, and response to treatment (Kurlowicz & Wallace, 1999). Compare the MMSE and SLUMS screening tools for similarities and differences. Do you find one more effective than the other? Explain.

Kurlowitz, L. & Wallace, M. (1999). The mini-mental status examination (MMSE). Retrieved from
http://www.isu.edu/nursing/opd/geriatric/MMSE.pdf

Division of Geriatric Medicine, St. Louis University. (2011). St. Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam. Retrieved from
http://aging.slu.edu/index.php?page=saint-louis-university-mental-status-slums-exam

Suggested Source to review:

Elder Guru. (2011). Keeping aging professionals informed. Retrieved from http://www.elderguru.com/
    

Topic 2: Understanding Memory

Objectives -
Ability to define memory
Ability to list 3 ways to improve memory
Distinquishes the difference between memory and learning

Activity 1 -  Review the attached video entitled, Mystery of Memory produced by Ivanhoe Broadcast News. Discuss your thoughts.

Topic 1: Self-Reflection About Agism

Objective

Able to verbalize feelings freely about the aging process
Develops a greater respect for the elderly


Activity  1

Following Osborne's (2010-2011) suggestions, briefly answer the following few questions:

1) When do you think someone is old? ………Why then?

2) What do you do to show your respect toward elders? Are these behaviors

different from how you treat others? Why/Why not?

3) List the transitions you expect to make/have made during your life? (p. 29-30). 


Readings: The following poem was written by a nurse, who works in a geriatric ward at Ashludie Hospital near Yorkshire, England. An old lady died in the ward, she explained, and another nurse going through her possessions found the poem the lady had written. The verses are so impressive the staff made copies and distributed them to every nurse in the hospital.

WHAT DO YOU SEE NURSE?

What do you see, nurse, what do you see?
Are you thinking when you are looking at me,
A crabby old woman, not very wise
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes.
Who dribbles her food and makes no reply,
When you say in a loud voice, “I do wish you’d try”;
Who seems but to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe.
Who uninteresting or not, lets you do as you will
With bathing and feeding the long day to fill.
Is that what you’re thinking, is that what you see?
The open your eyes nurse, you’re not looking at me.
I’ll tell you who I am as I sit here so till,
As I rise to your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters who love one another
A young girl of sixteen with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she’ll meet;
A bride soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows I promised to keep.
At twenty-five now I have young of my own
Who need me to build a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty my young now grow fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.
At forty my young sons have grown and are gone.
But my man’s beside me to see I don’t mourn.
At fifty once more babies at my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead.
I look at the future--I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love I’ve known.
I’m and old woman now, and nature is cruel;
‘Tis her jest to make old people look like a fool.
The body ii crumbles, race and vigor depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells,
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I’m loving and living life over again.
I think of the years all too few, gone too fast;
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes nurse--open and see,
Not a crabby old woman, LOOK CLOSER AT ME !!  

                                                                             
                                                                                     Osborne, C. (2010-2011)

Reference

Osborne, C. (2010-2011). NURS 117 Concepts & practices of gerontological nursing: Syllabus & workbook. Retreived from http://www.csus.edu/gero/syllabi/N117_Total_Syllabus_S11_final.pdf

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD....THE SECRET IS OUT

The Hardford Try This Videos Series - Geriatric Nursing

The Harvard Institute  for Geriatric Nursing (2010) has developed a series of videos discussing various geriatric issues in nursing. Please feel free to view the videos at your earliest convenience. You will need the latest version of the Adobe Flash to connect to the Hardford Try This Videos series.
Source Weblink:  http://consultgerirn.org/resources/media/?vid_id=4475795#player_container
If you have any problems with accessing the link try connecting to Web link: www.nursingcenter.com/AJNolderadults for further details on how to access the articles and videos.

Don't forget to leave your comments. Thank you, Mary

Gerontology and Geriatrics in Healthcare

The following brief paragrpahs is an interpretation of the Andrus Foundation's (2001) definition of Gerontology and Geriatrics:

Gerontology is defined as the multidisciplinary study of bio-psycho-social changes influencing persons' lives from the middle life years to the end-of-life. It includes the study of public policy, humanities, and economics influencing the healthcare of those citizens during their aging years.

Geriatrics is defined as the study of the health and diseases that influence persons from middle age to later life; to include a study of the comprehensive healthcare provided to those people and the well-being of their caregivers, ultimately to foster Geriatric Nursing for tomorrow's Geriatric Healthcare.

Andrus Foundation. (2001). What is gerontology? geriatrics? [Careers in Aging]. Retrieved from Web source: Association of Gerontology in Higher Eduation from http://www.careersinaging.com/careersinaging/what.html

Is Geriatric Nursing for you?