Prevention and management of diseases among elderly

Ahmad Osailan

• Health status and disability • Prevention and management of diseases • Health care sittings

Health status of aging population

• Clinical measures indicate decline of health status with aging.

• Elderly have double chances to have restricted activities because of illness more than general population.

Health status of aging population

• Prevalence of Disability in Basic ADL and instrumental ADL in Adults in US:

----------------------------------------------------------------Disability Age

65-74(%) 75-84 (%) 85+

Needs help in one or more basic ADL 5.3 11.4 34.8Needs Help in one or more instrumental 5.7 14.2

40 ADL

Health status of aging population

• Basic ADL: includes walking, going outside, bathing, dressing, using toilet, getting in and out of bed and eating.

• Instrumental ADL: includes shopping, doing routine household chores, preparing meals and handling money.

So What is Disability

• When talking about disability, three general terms must be defined:

• Impairment: loss of physical or physiological function at the organ level. Examples:

• - alteration in nerve conduction • - muscle weakness • Impairment do not affect ability to function• But when becomes sever Disability

Disability

• Rehabilitation interventions are often oriented toward adaptation or recovery from disability.

• If people with disabilities confronted with many obstacles:like:

• Inaccessible building • Low toilet seats• Buttons of elevators are high and unreadable • Then disability become Handicap.

Disease Impairment Disability Handicap

Malnutrition

Knee arthritis

Depression

Weakness

Pain

Immobility

Apathy

Difficulty

walking

Difficulty

shopping

Social Isolatio

n

Loss of ability to live independent

ly

Physical Environment (multi-

story house)

Social Environme

nt(loss of spouse)Prin. Geriat. Med, 5th edition, p. 289

PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION

Prevention and health promotion

• Aging alone is not the only cause of chronic illnesses. There are other factors including:

Life style Behaviour Environment • These factors have effect on development of

Heart diseases, cancer and lung diseases.

Prevention and health promotion• Interventions used globally to prevent elderly

from such diseases or slow/ reverse the progress of some diseases include:

Exercise Diet Stress reductionSmoking cessationTheses interventions proven to be effective in

management of cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, neuromuscular system.

Types of prevention• Primary prevention:• is the prevention of any disease effects that may

occur as a result possession of one or more risk factor.

• Secondary prevention • Is the implementation of therapeutic interventions

at early stages of acute onset of disease.• Tertiary prevention :• Is the attempt to minimize the effects of chronic

disease which occurred and caused some disabilities in ADLs

GERIATRIC PEOPLE PROBLEMS• Health problems:• 1.Joint problems• 2.Impairment of special senses• 3. Cardio vascular disease • 4.Cancer, Prostate enlargement, Diabetes&

Accidental falls • Psychological problems • 1. Emotional problems • 2. Sexual problems • 3. Mental disorders, dementia,

Alzheimer’disease

Cardiovascular or circulatory system

• Circulatory System:• Cardiovascular diseases are the major causes of

death in the developed countries. • High Blood Pressure control:• A reduction of body weight• Modification of the habits of life• Diet low in salt • Decrease fat intake • Exercise as recommended by physician

Respiratory Changes

• Respiratory muscles become • weaker • Rib cage more rigid• Alveoli thinner & less elastic which decreases

exchange of gases • Bronchioles lose elasticity- Asthma, Chronic

bronchitis

Nervous System Changes

• Nervous System Changes :• Blood flow to brain decreases • progressive loss of brain cells• diminished Nerve endings • less sensitive sensory nerves • Decreased ability to respond to pain and other

stimuli

ACCIDENTS

• Accidents are a health problem in the elderly.• The bones become fragile due decalcification

as a result of which they break easily. • Accidents are more common in the home than

outside. • Fracture neck of femur is a very common

geriatric problem.

Prevention

GERIATRIC TEAM

• Geriatricians • Nurses• Physiotherapist • Social worker And Health worker

Life style and healthy ageing

• Diet and Nutrition- Less fat , sugar , salt & high fibre and calcium diet

• Exercise • Weight monitor • Smoking • Social Activity

Quality of life

• Improving quality of life By:• Cultural programme • Old age club • Meals-on wheel service • Home help • Old age home