Write a 500‐750‐word essay on the influence patient education has in health care using the experiences of a patient. Interview a friend or family member about that person’s experiences with the health care system. You may develop your own list of questions.

Suggested interview questions:

1. Did a patient education representative give you instructions on how to care for yourself after your illness or operation?
2. Did a health care professional, pharmacist, nurse, doctor, or elder counselor advise you on your medication, diet, or exercise?
3. Who assisted you at home after your illness or operation?
4. Do you know of any assistance services, i.e., food, transportation, medication, that would help you stay in your home as you get older?

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. Refer to the LopesWrite Technical Support articles for assistance.

 

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Older Adults Patient Education Issues

Introduction

The rise of the baby boomers and the subsequent retirement of older Americans has been a great thing for our healthcare system. For example, doctors offices have become more efficient allowing for shorter wait times and better access to care. In addition, there are also many new technologies that can help older adults stay healthy and live longer. However, there are also some issues related to aging that affect older adults: such as fear of falling, driving and dementia.

Aging related conditions

Aging related conditions

There are a number of common diseases and health issues that affect older adults. These include:

• Diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer are more common in older adults than in younger people.

• Senior health issues can include cognitive impairment (such as Alzheimer’s disease), arthritis and joint replacements.

• Senior health problems may be treated by your doctor but if you have one yourself then it is important to get medical advice from a specialist if necessary

Fear of falling

Fear of falling is one of the most common concerns for older adults. While it may be easy to blame your age and health on this fear, you should know that exercise can help reduce your risk of falling by improving muscle strength, coordination and balance.

• Exercise: If you haven’t been active in a while, start small with activities such as walking or taking the stairs at work. Building up to more intense workouts over time will help improve your overall fitness level — which means less risk for injuries when walking around town!

• Sleep: Getting enough rest each night is important for both physical and mental health; however, getting too little sleep could make it harder for older adults who have diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) because these individuals require more energy throughout the day than younger people do due to their medication regimen requirements (i).

Driving and dementia

Driving is a big issue for people with dementia. It’s often a symbol of independence, freedom and status in their lives. But it can also be a source of family conflict, stress and health problems if you’re not careful.

If your loved one has dementia or another cognitive impairment that affects his or her ability to drive safely, you may wonder how to help them learn how to drive again without putting yourself at risk—or pushing them towards addiction. This guide will give you some ideas on how best to approach this situation so that everyone involved feels comfortable and safe!

Older Adults Patient Education Issues

As an older adult, you may have trouble remembering things, understanding what people are saying or asking you to do, making decisions and communicating effectively. You might also need help with understanding health information. This can make it hard for you to stay healthy and alert as you get older.

Older adults are often limited by transportation options and may have difficulty getting from one place to another on time (e.g., when going for medical appointments).

Resistance to change

Older adults are resistant to change. They don’t like change, and they especially don’t like it when you try to tell them what to do. Instead of forcing older adults into a new way of doing things that isn’t comfortable for them, help them understand why it is important for them to adapt their behavior in order for the practice or procedure being performed on patients by healthcare professionals (HCPs) at home care facilities such as nursing homes and rehab centers which provide medical care through physical therapy services including physical therapy exercises using an exercise ball machine called a “Health Ball.”

Medication adhearance

• Medication adherence is the process of taking medications as prescribed.

• Adherence can be measured by the number of pills taken per day, or the percentage of pills that are taken on time and at the proper dose.

• Medications should be taken at least 6 hours apart from each other, although this may vary depending on your health status and condition.

• A medication schedule includes details about when you take each medication so it’s easy to remember what time each day is meant for you to take it. You should also make sure not to skip any doses due to forgetting them (or being forgetful).

• Once a week, review your current medicine plan with your healthcare provider so they know what medications have been prescribed for you over time; this will help them make sure everything stays in order throughout treatment if there are any changes needed later down the line!

It is important that older adults have a health literacy plan

A health literacy plan is a written document that outlines the steps you will take to educate your older adult about the health issues they may be facing. A good example of this might be if the patient has diabetes and needs to understand how blood sugar levels can fluctuate, what medications are best for them, or other important information about managing their condition.

In order to create your own plan, consider these questions:

• What do I want my clients/patients/visitors (whichever term applies) who are over 50 years old know?

• What do I want myself as an instructor/educator know? This could include things like where to find more information on specific topics related to aging adults’ needs and interests, how often we should meet with each other during our time together at school or work…

Conclusion

Based on the results from this study, it can be concluded that there are many things to consider when it comes to patient education. There is a lot of information available about older adults and their concerns that can help the caregivers understand better how to care for them. The next step would be for patients themselves to become more involved in their own health care and what medications they need.