Influence of Older Adults Patient Education in Health Care

Older Adults Patient Education Issues Essay and Interview
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Older Adults Patient Education Issues Essay and Interview
Patient education is gradually becoming an essential component of the treatment plan for patients in contemporary healthcare practices. Wittink and Oosterhaven (2018) acknowledge that the recent changes and increasing consideration for input and understanding of patients’ conditions and contributions to the recovery process have revolutionized the sector. As a result, this aspect has made care delivery more holistic, drawing the concerted efforts of healthcare professionals, patients, and other caregivers. Thus, this activity investigates the influence of patient education through the experiences of a 56-year-old female patient recovering from osteoarthritis to understand the different players she encountered and their contribution to this process.
The interview took place through a brief face-to-face session, guided by four key questions that encouraged ongoing probing for clarifications. The interviewee’s response to instructions received regarding self-care from a patient education representative after her illness demonstrated the centrality of this aspect in modern care. The interviewee indicated that she was thankful to her physician because he took his time to explain the subtle details of the condition other than his accurate diagnosis. Her responses about the causes of osteoarthritis, its symptoms, and pharmacological and other treatments indicated that she received adequate information. The most exciting aspect was that the doctor explained the standard care practices she should embrace and followed up two weeks later to determine her progress. During the interview, the respondent retrieved some pamphlets and added that she also has several instructional videos forwarded to her by the educator. Such an approach agrees with Yilmaz’s (2019) observation that education materials like pamphlets are critical in improving the disease literacy of a patient. Equipping them with these skills enhances the quality of their self-care and quality of life.
Further questioning about other sources of information in the facility revealed the organized nature of healthcare providers in improving the patient’s awareness without appearing to bombard them with unnecessary details. For instance, the respondent noted that she received further clarification from the nurse, pharmacist, and dietician. The organized nature of these healthcare providers in ensuring that they maintain cooperation and continuity of education emerged from the harmony identified in the pamphlets she carried home after diagnosis and prescription (Wei et al., 2020). It contained bullet points of all the critical information in the various areas she should normalize in her recovery. The pharmacist’s details about the medications were essential because they were boldened. She also mentioned that he required her to ask for a caregiver or relative’s assistance at home to assist her in remembering this information. As a result, the interviewee mentioned that it was ...