Interdisciplinary Care of the Aging

1 Interdisciplinary Care of the Aging The challenges changes in the aging individual have on providing safe and effective care Aging is associated with a variety of physiological changes in the body. These changes lead to a decrease in organ and system functionalities. Some of these changes include decreased hearing and vision abilities, increased blood pressure, and loss of cellular functions in some organs such as the kidneys.

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2 These changes have a significant influence on the anatomical and functional changes in gastrointestinal intestinal cells, leading to a decrease in the production of gastric acid and a decrease in intestinal blood flow, subsequently affecting the absorption of various substances, including drugs. In such events, the normal dose of certain oral drugs may not achieve the intended health care outcome (Farinde & Hebdon, 2019).

The administration of a larger dose to achieve the intended therapeutic effects may increase the risk of side effects thus jeopardizing the safety of the patient. Furthermore, aging is associated with decreased immunity. This implies that older people are likely to be overwhelmed by conditions that younger people overcome with ease. The presence of more than one condition calls for polypharmacy, which doubtlessly places the older adult at risk of adverse effects.

The health outcomes of health promotion, disease prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases The ultimate goals of nursing care are early detection and treatment of diseases as well as health promotion, and prevention of diseases. The attainment of these goals represents a successful outcome of nursing care. The early detection of diseases is crucial in the care of patients since it allows for quicker responses. An accurate diagnosis helps nurses initiate a treatment plan that guarantees a positive healthcare outcome (Costello, 2016). The nurses can select the most optimal intervention for the disease if the diagnosis is precise.

Early initiation of treatment improves the chances of recovery as the disease is arrested before progressing to critical stages (Edelman, Mandle & Kudzma, 2017). Another beneficial aspect of the early treatment of diseases is that it prevents the development of complications.

Studies indicate that some conditions such as cancer are harder to treat once they progress beyond certain stages (Edelman, Mandle & Kudzma, 2017). Health promotion and disease

3 prevention are also integral activities of nursing practice. To achieve these goals, nurses develop educational programs that target specific patient populations, individuals, families and communities (Potter, Perry, Stockert & Hall, 2020). The people are usually trained on strategies to avert poor health outcomes besides improve their health. Diseases are much easier to control and prevent if people are made aware of preventative health interventions.

Interdisciplinary plan of care for the aging client Interdisciplinary care describes a detailed plan of care created by members of several specialties and disciplines. Interdisciplinary care is crucial in the care of elderly clients with chronic condito0ns such as diabetes. Nursing care for diabetic patients involves patient education on nutrition and physical exercises, compliance with medication, and prevention of complications. Therefore, the interdisciplinary team should comprise of a nurse, a nutritionist, a physical therapist and a clinician (Szafran, Kennett, Bell & Torti, 2019). The role of the clinician is to assess the client’s health and prescribe effective medications. The nurse works with the client and the family to ensure compliance with treatment. Another role played by the nurse is a physical assessment of the client to determine potential physical complications such as ulcers.

The nutritionist educates the client on the best foods to consume to improve health and prevent diseases, whereas the physical therapist guides the client on the most effective physical activities (Szafran, Kennett, Bell & Torti, 2019).

Advocating for protection of the aging population in the conduct of research Ethical principles in research have it that the rights of subjects must be protected at all points and the safety of individuals must be guaranteed. The need for the protection of subjects increases even more when dealing with vulnerable populations such as the elderly (Cox & Pardasani, 2017). To ensure the rights of the elderly persons are protected in research, potential

4 subjects should never be coerced to participate in research studies against their will. Informed consent must, therefore, be obtained from elderly persons before being involved in the research.

Moreover, the will of individuals to withdraw from the research at any point must be respected (Cox & Pardasani, 2017). Importantly, the principles of beneficence and maleficence should be adhered to throughout the study. Older adults must not be denied beneficial treatment as a way of experimenting with new treatment interventions.

Ethical standards related to data security, confidentiality and clients’ right to privacy During nursing care for the elderly, the ethical principles of confidentiality data security and right to privacy must be respected. Data need to be collected and stored securely. Only authorized interdisciplinary team members should be granted access to patient data (Cox & Pardasani, 2017). This move alleviates disclosure of health data to third parties, subsequently alleviating potential lawsuits.

5 References Costello, E. J. (2016). Early detection and prevention of mental health problems: developmental epidemiology and systems of support. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 45(6), 710-717. http://DOI:10.1080/15374416.2016.1236728 Cox, C., & Pardasani, M. (2017). Aging and human rights: A rights-based approach to social work with older adults. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work, 2(3), 98-106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41134-017-0037-0 Edelman, C. L., Mandle, C. L., & Kudzma, E. C. (2017). Health promotion throughout life spane-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Farinde, A., & Hebdon, M. (2019). Pharmacological Considerations in Gerontology: A Patientcentered Guide for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses and Related Health Professions. Springer Publishing Company.

Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P., & Hall, A. (2020). Fundamentals of Nursing - E-Book.

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Szafran, O., Kennett, S. L., Bell, N. R., & Torti, J. M. (2019). Interprofessional collaboration in diabetes care: perceptions of family physicians practicing in or not in a primary health care team. BMC family practice, 20(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-019-0932-9 Touhy, T. A., Jett, K. F., Boscart, V., & McCleary, L. (2018). Ebersole and Hess' Gerontological Nursing and Healthy Aging in Canada-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.