Health Promotion & Disease Prevention in Older Adults Medicine Essay

Health Promotion in Older Adults
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The Role of a Nurse in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Older Adults
There in an increasing need to take care of the elderly not only as moral responsibility but also as way to give back to society. There are many challenges tand complications that come with the elderly people and how well to take care of them. According to the United Nations’ population data of 2019, there are over 703 million people above the age of 65 years. By the year 2050, this number is projected to double and reach 1.5 billion. As people grow old, their bodies start to wear out and start experiencing increased health problems. Because of this, older people need more medical care than others. In particular, geriatric nurses are charged with the responsibility of taking care of the elders. They measure and record vital signs, administer medications, exercise and massage patients, watch signs of elder abuse, transport patients to doctors’ visits and other appointments, and help patients get their daily needs. The nurses are also responsible for the emotional and mental well-being of their patients. They are always in constant communication with the family members of their patients updating them on their medications and health status. 
My experience while working at Carolina Homes for the elderly as a registered nurse, I attended to a patient diagnosed with diabetes. The patient required extensive health care. I used to make sure he takes medication on time and only after eating. During the day I would induce light training exercises to keep him fit. We also used to make stories to cheer him up. I regularly performed tests on hearing, glucose, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. With time, the patient got better and stronger. Most importantly, I was able to establish a long-lasting relationship with him and we still keep in touch up to date.
For nurses to conduct their roles effectively, screening is mandatory to the elders to identify the underlining health conditions. In case of any medical conditions, they will be put under certain medical procedures. Below are some of the screening procedures to be conducted on elderly people. There should be routine screening for diabetes as from age 45 and above as provided for by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) framework that recommends that it should be done only to pati...