Healthcare
needs of the seniors or aging population are increasing day by day;
fortunately, a number of reforms are also advancing and serving as an important
role in fulfilling those needs. As
people grow older, several health problems begin to surface, even impacting
their independence. At present acute illnesses and delirium represent one
of the biggest challenges to the elderly people (Layard, 2004). A delirious
individual has a perplexed link to the environment, and the perplexity waxes
and wanes. With less care this can irrevocably alter the lives of ageing
inhabitants across the world. Eldercare often needs a multi-disciplinary
approach that includes various aspects, for example, healthcare, finances, activities
of daily living, emotional and social well being (WHO, 2012). However, most of
the time older patients with delirium or any other illnesses do not desire to
stay at a nursing home or a hospital.
Thus, they cannot be forced to stay there. Luckily, for such patients,
much can be done to keep them out of hospital, rehab centers or nursing homes
and also to help them live healthy retaining their independence. Furthermore, a
stigma is often associated with delirium and other mental health issues
(Corrigan et al., 2001). It can mentally classify a person by others in an
unwanted, redundant stereotype rather than in a normal, accepted
stereotype. The older age is also
disparaged and stigmatized plus regarded to be a time of greater dependence and
helplessness (Nelson and Todd, 2004).
While
consideration of mental health professionals are needed to plan and offer
better health care in the treatment of psychiatric disorders of old age, there
are certain conservative approaches to manage them successfully without a need
for a hospital admission, or going to rehab centers or nursing homes, etc, for
example, by using cognitive approaches, psychotherapeutic, sociological
innovations and behavioral interventions.
In cognitive approaches
the patient and the therapist work mutually to utilize an approach that
comprises experimentation and reality testing. The cognitive therapy helps the patient
understand his/her internal flow of views and thoughts when disturbed, and to
recognize and change the dysfunctional believes (Zunzunegui, Gutierrez, Beland,
Del Ser, and Wolfson, 2000). By means of behavioral techniques seniors with
delirium can be brought to normal life by regulating their behavior,
restructuring their cognitive process and behavior. Modifying the underlying
dysfunctional belief of the patient initiates long-term improvements and
prevent hospital admissions.
By
using a sociological approach, sociological perspectives attached to mental
health and illness are addressed, including the edifice of mental disease in
society (Jane et al, 2005). They help
promote the social participation for individuals with mental health issues,
making their chances for employment better (Bond, 2004) and opposing bias and
stigma. On the other hand, the
psychological component pays heed on the protection of seniors’ well being. The
psychological innovations tackles problems by the understanding the influence
of sociological, biological, and circumstantial factors on the psychological
well-being and processes of an affected geriatric population (Garner, 2002). Likewise,
increasing awareness of patients about their particular illness is also necessary
as it serves as a crucial element in the senior care plan as well as in
reducing stigma. Through a number of programs and successful activities, public
can be educated well. Also, patients are advised to get involved in different
physical activities because these
activities provides them an opportunity to reconnect and communicate with the society
with the extra advantage of showcasing the capability of older patients with
delirium or any other illness to still participate in such activities
(Shepherd, Boardman, and Slade, 2008).
Besides,
aging comes with a number of other health issues, such as urologic issues
associated with a different underlying health conditions (Drach, 2008).
Even urinary problems go along with some mental health illnesses. An
aging may also cause an increase in the number of aged patients undergoing
surgical treatment. Nowadays, a range of biobehavioral therapies are
recommended as first-line treatment choices mainly for elderly patients (Drach
and Forciea, 2005). They may address several urologic issues like urinary
incontinence. These conservative
therapies provide bladder training along with planned toileting, incited or
assisted voiding schedules and exercises for pelvic floor muscle. Thus, geriatric patients can independently
manage their problems related to urology.
The
field of geriatric mental health is vast and rapidly growing in extent and
complexity. It is therefore
important to work with conservative and conventional innovations along with
physicians in keeping older population healthy. Such psychosocial and
psychodynamic approaches target an emotional aspect in treating conditions like
delirium, dementia, or other older people illnesses and are plausible
interventions. They offer considerable promise for the management of a number
of health issues of elderly patients and occasionally may be the treatment of
choice considering their efficacy and easy adoptability by the elder patients.
These approaches in association with pharmacological treatment can keep geriatric
patients away from going to a nursing home or a hospice and consequently help
solved the dilemma in medicine.
References
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Edwards, A.B., Green, A., Diwan, S.L. & Penn, D.L. (2001). Prejudice, social distance and familiarity
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Drach G (2008). Fundamental issues in geriatric surgical
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Drach G, Forciea, MA
(2005).Geriatric patient care: basics for urologists. AUA Update Series 24, 33.
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