Table 1. Various safety measures in a gerontological checklist
Introduction
Gerontology is the study of psychological, social, and biological aspects of aging. Aspects of gerontology include geroscience which is the investigation of the transition between normal aging and disease-related aging. Other studies could include physical, mental, and social changes in people as they age. Aging is an inevitable phase that every individual must undergo. Therefore to cater for graceful aging macro and micro-practices with adults have been considered in most countries worldwide. These practices are governed by certain policies that have undergone extensive research. This is for according respect to the elderly (Rene, 2009).
Gracefully aging is a hard goal to achieve. When individuals grow old, so many aspects accompany the aging process. These include strength reduction, loss of sensory ability, slow speech, and many more. These aspects are also accompanied by old age-related diseases. The illnesses do vary in their recurrence. Some can be prevented such as diabetes while others cannot. However, diseases such as high blood pressure and other genetic diseases can be managed.
Many elderly people need assistance when attending to most activities for the better part of their life. Due to their inability to do chores or reduced strength they need close checkups which could help alleviate misfortunes that could befall them. They are very susceptible to injury thus, they need perfect care and management. Various institutions have been developed for the sole purpose of taking care of the elderly. Most groups of old-aged people however prefer staying with their families (Rene, 2009).
Care for the Elderly
Home care or institutional-based care groups are the most appropriate places for the elderly people to stay. These places have got professionals who are specialized in taking care of the elderly. Many of the times the old aged people need close check-up from time to time. This cannot be done by relatives or members of the families because they are not specialized in caring for the old (Porter et al., 2011). In fact most people refer to the elderly as bothersome individuals. As much as they enjoy their companies, they are afraid of the task which involves frequent check-up and close care. Some old people don’t prefer to stay in care centers hence are accessed in their private homes. Since old people do not accept illness easily, they should always have appointments with doctors for assessment and treatment all the time.
Old-Age and Good Sensory ability
Good sensory ability means having good sight, hearing, touching, smelling and even sense of danger detection. These qualities are not easily found in old people because they regress with time. The times in life that one notices these incapacities are always variable. Therefore, there should be a mechanism in place for checking such inevitable losses (Pfeiffer, 1982). Due to this variability, frequent assessments need to be carried out both in care institutions or at homes where these elderly people are based. This would help to detect any unfamiliarity occurrences.
Whether these patients or the elderly people at home can function on their own, assistance should come in handy. This is solved by a practice known as geriatric assessment. This is the study of biological causes and effects of aging. This is considered by scientists to be the most important objective in aging research. The work of a geriatric is to provide counseling, direct services, care coordination, community planning and advocacy in care institutions. This also includes private practice, in-home or in senior congregated living. The process of this assessment includes filling out a checklist which could include activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living. This list is always standardized therefore not biased.
Clinicians or caretakers of the elderly should identify individuals living arrangements and assist where they can. One key issue to be noted is their environment. They could be living in isolated areas or in busy apartments. Caretakers of the old should assess the environment to ensure good safety. Among the defects of the elderly, sensory capabilities are the most vital (Porter et al., 2011). Unless it is corrected, sensory deficits especially hearing may interfere with the history-taking of an individual. However, many disorders do manifest as functional decline. Assessments of functionality of the elderly enable a proper approach to treatment.
Safety of the surrounding
The environment around a gerontological institution or home care area should always be clear (Porter et al., 2011). Some elderly people cannot walk hence use wheelchairs. Their inability to see properly can lead to small and major accidents that are detrimental. Hence, a check-up on clear aisles and hallways is always safe. Objects on the floor could also lead to accidents. Old people are very vulnerable therefore slight accidents can set them in irreversible conditions (Pfeiffer, 1982). Due to lack of strength the elderly also need to grab materials in places like the bathroom and staircases in homes for support.
Most of the time, it is wise to put some appliances within the reach of the elderly. Objects such as the phone and switches could come in handy for the old guys. In addition objects such as loose wires and cords should be removed from the walking paths. Having a checklist including these safety tips would go a long way in minimizing frequent accidents.
Conclusion
Sensory deficit requires the highest close consideration. Most reported accidental cases mostly in homes and various institutions are due to carelessness and negligence. Therefore, old people need high-quality care which makes them feel emotionally safe as members of society.
Reference List
Pfeiffer, R. (1982). Measurement of Functional Activities of Older Adults in the Community. Journal of Gerontology, 37(3), 323–329.
Porter et al. (2011).The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (19th ed.). New Jersey: Marck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
Rene, D. (2009). Canadian Medical- Surgical Nursing, (Ed.). Quebec: Lippincott Pub.