Challenges of Caring for Elderly Patients

 Running head: CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS
Challenges of Caring for Elderly Patients
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CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS 2
Challenges of Caring for Elderly Patients
A nurse needs to be fully aware of the special needs that any particular group of patients
that he/she may be dealing with may have. Such a practice plays a major role in improving the
level of care that nurses offer to patients. It also provides the health professional with the
opportunity to liaise with other personnel in the formulation of strategies that could be deemed
appropriate for providing high-quality care. Among some of the groups of patients that a nurse
may need to deal with are elderly patients. In the following, the paper aims to provide some of
the challenges that could be associated with caring for this group of patients.
It is estimated that in the coming decades, the population of older adults who have type 2
diabetes mellitus will grow substantially (Huang, Laiteerapong, Liu, John, Moffet, & Karter,
2014). The situation is the same as in other terminal health problems that are commonly
associated with old age. As a result, where an individual in his/her old age is faced with various
health concerns, it brings along the challenge of complications. Among some of the issues that
may be identified would be that of antagonistic drugs. The situation is usually seen whereby a
drug administered to deal with a given health problem plays a role in hampering the proper effect
of another that is dispensed to deal with another issue.
Another issue that is linked to caring for elderly patients is that of drug related problems
(Ahmad, Mast, Nijpels, Elders, Dekker, & Hugtenburg, 2014). Such a case is typically brought
about by a situation where patients who are discharged from the hospital start experiencing some
side-effects from the drugs that have been administered to them. The challenges are associated
with a drop in the immunity levels of geriatric patients. As a result, there is a likelihood of
patients suffering from irritation when they have a prolonged intake of a given drug. The
problem is more severe when there are no other drug that could be used as an alternative. The 
CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS 3
problem could, therefore, require health personnel to spend more hours as they try to come up
with ideas on some of the drugs that could be used as a solution to the problem identified. There
is also the chance that the problem could increase the cost of caring for an elderly patient
significantly because they may need to be admitted to the hospital for long as health practitioners
try to look for a way to deal with the established problem effectively.
Another challenge that is associated with caring for elderly patients is that of frailty
(Afilalo, Alexander, Mack, Maurer, Green, Allen, & Forman, 2014). The problem is a common
theme among patients with cardiovascular problems. Such a case, therefore, means that extra
caution needs to be put in place to ensure such patients are not harmed by some of the therapies
employed to improve their health. One of the aspects that could be associated with frailty is the
fact that it exposes them to various other problems, given the nature of their vulnerability. The
situation, therefore, pushes health professionals to look into the activities they are involved with,
with due keen, to see to it that they are in a position to handle other different problems that the
patient may be having. The delicate nature that is associated with old age also creates a challenge
in determining the right drug and even the dosage that may be administered to a patient because
it could lead to some complications.
In conclusion, given the different challenges associated with caring for an elderly patient,
there is the need to take proper action while treating elderly patients. Health professionals need
to be thorough in their tests. Also, they need to always check up on them as well as look for any
side-effects that could be associated with some of the drugs that they could be taking. The
process will be critical to improving the quality of their health. 
CHALLENGES OF CARING FOR ELDERLY PATIENTS 4
References
Afilalo, J., Alexander, K. P., Mack, M. J., Maurer, M. S., Green, P., Allen, L. A., ... & Forman,
D. E. (2014). Frailty assessment in the cardiovascular care of older adults. Journal of the
American College of Cardiology, 63(8), 747-762. Retrieved from http://ac.elscdn.com/S073510971306155X/1-s2.0-S073510971306155X-main.pdf?_tid=49b52d5a93d4-11e7-8e82-
00000aacb360&acdnat=1504792743_5cc91fe3fb4df2095c2349055287931c
Ahmad, A., Mast, M. R., Nijpels, G., Elders, P. J., Dekker, J. M., & Hugtenburg, J. G. (2014).
Identification of drug-related problems of elderly patients discharged from hospital.
Patient preference and adherence, 8, 155. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl