The Twilight Years
65 years or more is often referred to as elderly
Elderly in the UAE
senior citizen service
The Elderly & the community
Their role in the community
The community's role towards them
Societal views on the elderly
Ageism
Aging
Challenges faced by the elderly
part of
Physical
Psychological
such as
Dealing with stereotypes
such as
Obesity
Biological basis
Physiological Changes Associated with Aging
lessen its effects through
Preventive & Promotive Health Measures
Isolation
loss of independence
insomnia
anxiety
depression
cardiovascular disease
hearing loss (presbycusis)
sarcopenia
osteoporosis
immunosenescence
diabetes
suicide thoughts
Delerium
Dementia
Whats the difference?
Role of liver in the fed & fasting states
Glycolysis
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Glycogenolysis
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Fed state
Fasting state
it is
Glucose level becomes higher than usual
Liver brings down glucose level
Main hormone is insulin
The Fed state is the state where the body is digesting food and absorbing its nutrients
it is
Energy levels are low
body starts breakdown of energy stores to produce energy
Some hormones that are important are glucagon and epinephrine
The fasting state is when your body has completely digested your last meal and insulin levels are low
rehabilitation facilities of the elderly in the UAE
Demographics
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Allowing the elderly to work longer and participate in society
Prepare a more elaborate & intensive and health services
Promote healthy aging in adulthood
give constructive advice to their children
preserve the traditional and cultural values present in any ethnic group or community
They hold their family firmly at all times and make them strong
important role in the lives of their grandchildren.
immense ocean of knowledge, experience, and wisdom.
solving disputes among the family members
what it is
Ageism refers to the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age.
how they're viewed
The elderly are often depicted as weak, unattractive, and senile.
Wear & Tear theory
Small damages of cells accumulate over a long time
all combined,
Metabolic reactions lead to free radical formation- makes functional molecules dysfunctional
Mitochondrial theory
Strand breaks, epigenetic changes, cross-linking. When repair system doesn’t work, leads to mutation
DNA Damage Theory
As cells divide, telomeres at the end of chromosomes shorten. They are need for protection of DNA.
Genetic theory
Immune system gets weaker with time. The ability to protect against the pathogens will also reduce.
Immune theory
Accumulate over time, that leads to overall deterioration
Physiological
Pathological
Universal, pre-programmed, irreversible
Depends on genetics, lifestyle, reversible
Two types:
Social/Economic
such as
such as
Financial Insecurity
Access to healthcare services
it is
Accumulation of fat in the body that presents risk to health
testing through
Body Fat Test
BMI Test
done by
BMI = Weight / (Height)^2
examinations such as
Pinching your body
Body Circumference Measurements
Hydrostatic weighing
3D Body Scanners
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Skin
50-60% reduction in skin functions.
Wrinkling due to decreased elasticity.
20% decrease in thickness of dermis.
Decrease in turnover of epidermal cells
Greying of hair
Respiratory system
Decrease in alveolar surface area.
• Decrease in elastic recoil of the lung.
• Decrease in efficiency of gas exchange.
MSK
Loss of muscle mass & strength
Thinning of the bones
GIT
Reduced motility
Reduced sphincters tone
Reduced absorption
Reduced detoxification by liver
Reduced intestinal microbiome
CVS
Increased thickness of heart walls
Degenerative changes in the heart and blood vessels
Reduced elasticity of blood vessels (increased stiffness)
Increased systolic/diastolic blood pressure
Increased calcification and cholesterol deposition
Nervous System
Shrinkage of brain
Degeneration of neurons
Reduced number and functions of synapses
Menopause
Menstrual periods stop permanently. Occurs in women at 48-52 years of age Drop in blood estrogens levels
Types of prevention
Primary Prevention
Refers to measures that lower the incidence of disease or make a population at risk less susceptible to that risk.
Entails making an effort to recognize unhealthy conditions early on, to act quickly and efficiently, or to stop the transmission of disease to others.
Secondary Prevention
Tertiary Prevention
Seeks to lessen suffering, shorten the duration and intensity of potentially severe disease-related outcomes and disabilities, as well as to help people cope with illnesses for which there is no cure.
aim
maintain or stabilize current health and function, lessen the impacts of disease and disability, and postpone or delay additional disability and functional limitations can be feasible goals.
insomnia
Accommodation in infrastructure/ transportation
Visits to elderly homes
such as
Pharmacy & The elderly
Issues in prescribing in the elderly
1)Smaller Bodies and Different Body Composition.
2)Decreased Ability of the Liver to Process Drugs.
3)Decreased Ability of the Kidneys to Clear Drugs Out of the Body.
4)Polypharmacy.
because of
pharmacological changes in the elderly
changes in
Drug absorption
Drug Distribution
Drug metabolism
Drug excretion
5)More Diseases that affect the response to drugs.
functional assessment screening
aim
to identify the possible causes of an individual's challenging behaviour so that effective a treatment can be designed
How its done:
to test the patient, give the following instructions: 1) Rise from the chair 2) Walk to the line on the floor (10 feet) 3) Turn 4) Return to the chair 5) Sit down again Normal time required to complete the test is 10 seconds
examples
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi city and Al Tawam Hospital in Al Ain
Abu Dhabi Rehabilitation Centre
Family vs Institutional Care
institutionalization of the elderly leads to loneliness, isolation, and eventually to depression.
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helps check for deterioration of msk
due to an accumulation of
Nutritional Needs
includes
Protein
Vitamin B12
Potassium
Calcium and Vitamin D
Dietary Fiber
Iron
Vitamin A
Dealing with death
Coping with a dying relative
Coping with the death of a relative
Spending more time with the relative.
Doing things together to create more memories
Share your feelings with each other.
Allowing yourself and them to cry
through
through
Recollecting old memories
Give yourself time
Trip down a Memory Lane
Crying
Reconnect with family & friends
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Dependency on others
helps ease
They're given discount cards, special parkings, social club access and more.
prevented through