Health-Nursing Older Adult Health Issues

Health-Nursing

Older Adult Health Issues

Identify a health problem and explain how inadequate nutrition is affected by it.

Although the United States is a wealthy country, there is a problem among our older people, with hunger and poor nutrition. These factors are important underlying causes of or contributors to many of the nutrition related illnesses that older people in our country face today (Frongillo and Horan, 2004). One illness that can be traced back to hunger and poor nutrition is that of heart disease. Poor nutrition resulting from an insufficient diet has been found to be an essential factor in the development of coronary heart disease. When comparing American diets to the Federal Food Guide Pyramid, most do not meet the Pyramid's dietary recommendations. It is felt that people consume too many servings of added fats and sugars and not enough servings of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, lean meats, and foods made from whole grains (Diet Quality and Food Consumption: Health, Food Consumption, and the Agricultural Sector, 2008).

There is evidence that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is beneficial to heart health and can considerably reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The World Health Organization's World Health Report 2002 estimates that 4% of overall disease in developed countries is caused by low fruit and vegetable consumption. It also states that just less than 30% of coronary heart disease in developed countries is due to fruit and vegetable consumption that is below the recommended daily allowance (Poor Nutrition, 2006).

Good nutritional values are an important part of good health and should be paid special attention to in the elderly. Poor nutrition contributes to frailty and poor health by intensifying medical conditions, increasing disabilities and extending hospital stays. These and other aspects of nutritional health have also caused economic problems as well. There have been increased costs for caregivers because of an increased need, along with increased healthcare costs for the nation as a whole (Frongillo and Horan, 2004).

2. Using your topic in question 1, explain the impact on health care delivery in the rural setting and the role of a specific health care professional.

Older people who live in rural areas have a greater frequency of chronic health conditions, such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes. These people do not have access to as many or as wide a range of health services as those who live in cities. "The services that are in short supply in rural areas are those provided by nurses, health technology personnel, dentists, physical therapists, pharmacists, and opticians" (Bull and DeCroix Bane, 1993).

Nurses and nurse practitioners play a significant role in providing good community-based health care to older people in rural communities. Health promotions, education, and coordination of care are a tremendous need among this group of people. Unfortunately these older populations of people that live in rural areas have limited access to nursing care along with many other health care services. A lack of financial support and inflexible reimbursement programs from insurance companies continue to hinder accessibility to health care in these communities. Partnerships and education programs along with nurse managed clinics are being looked at as ways to improve quality and accessibility of health care for older people in rural areas (Rosswurm, 2001).