Healthy people 2020 are a prevention agenda belonging to the federal government to enable it to establish and maintain a healthy nation. The older adults in this context are individuals who are 65 years and above. The healthy people 2020 goals for 5health for the elderly. They also aim at attaining equity in the provision of health to aging adults. Additionally, the goals are aimed at improving life quality, developing fitness, and promoting good health behaviors among the group.

Some of the objectives meant to improve the wellness of older adults include increasing the tribes that gather information about elder abuse, exploitation, and neglect. Another purpose is to decrease the number of unpaid old adult caregivers and who may report needs not met in their support services. The objectives also aim at reducing falling among aging adults to help decrease emergency department visits. Another aim was to raise the proportion and add physicians, registered nurses, psychiatrists, physical therapists, dentists, and registered dieticians with geriatric certification (Weir et al. 2015). Additionally, the objectives are looking towards expanding the number of elder adults living with either one or several chronic illnesses but reports to be confident 2in keeping the condition at bay. Besides, another objective focuses on increasing the proportion of older adults who have reduced cognitive and physical function but participate in vigorous, moderate, and light physical activities.

As of today, the population in the U.S. is aging rapidly. The population of elderly adults is projected to stand at 90 million as opposed to today’s’ 46 million. Interestingly, the rural areas hosted a quarter of all elderly adults in 2010. Most older people move to rural areas after retiring and seek to find an independent life there.For older adults, a more significant amount of their income goes to healthcare. However, the issue of this population belonging to the older people is ethnically and racially diverse. The non-Hispanic white older people are estimated to be 55% from 77% between the years 2018-2060. The composition changes witnessed in individuals aged 65 years and older and that of individuals who are under 18 years of age are different hence creating diversity gaps. The diversity gaps are explained in terms of generations. The increase of population among the aging adults has been attributed to various factors. The factors are; increase in education levels for persons aged 65 years and above. Also, life expectancy has been on the rise because, in 2017, it stood at 78.6 years, while in 1950, life expectancy was 68 years (Ritt et al. 2016). The poverty levels in this group of age have dropped significantly. Lastly, life expectancy in the gender gap is also narrowing.

Many nursing actions are essential in addressing the needs of older adults. The first one includes the incorporation of gerontology to the practicing nurse. Such an effort will arm nurses with necessary geriatric skills that will help them give the most effective care to older adults. The best competence will assist nurses in assisting patients in managing one or several chronic illnesses, provide wellness and preventative programs, maintain physical and mental frailty, and enhance death that is peaceful (Tinetti 2016). The next action is to incorporate gerontology into nursing education. This action is vital because it will help nursing schools produce graduates with geriatric competency. The curricula must consider this so that a nurse is fully prepared early enough to handle common issues in older adults. Under this action, students need to e taught on how to manage chronic conditions through clinical conditions qualitative variations, considering subtle changes, and through health care settings. It is recommendable for nurses to update their skills on knowledge through active participation in faculty development programs. Nurses also need to explore the guides, tools, and resources at hand so that they can facilitate safety and quality for the elderly.

Today, Americans are living longer, and the number of people aged 65 years and above is growing at quite a faster rate. The age growth in this category has never been witnessed before. By 2060, the number of older adults is expected to rise to 23.5% from 14.5% in 2014. However, the main concern in aging adults is their vulnerability to acquire chronic illnesses. In 2012 only, an estimated 60% of the adults in these categories were said to be receiving treatment from either two or more chronic diseases. The chronic conditions prevalent among aging adults include diabetes mellitus, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic bronchitis, cancer, and heart disease (Callahan et al. 2017). Since these illnesses cause death among the elderly, the need to formulate strategies to detect the disease early, prevent it where possible and give the best treatment procedures led to the birth of the healthy people 2020 agenda.

References

Callahan, K. E., Tumosa, N., & Leipzig, R. M. (2017). Significant ‘Grand little ‘g’Geriatrics education for physicians. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 65(10), 2313-2317.

Ritt, M., Bollheimer, L. C., Sieber, C. C., & Gaßmann, K. G. (2016). Prediction of one-year mortality by five different frailty instruments: a comparative study in hospitalized geriatric patients. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 66, 66-72.

Tinetti, M. (2016). Mainstream or extinction: can define who we are saved geriatrics?. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 64(7), 1400-1404.

Weir, H. K., Thompson, T. D., Soman, A., Møller, B., Leadbetter, S., & White, M. C. (2015). Peer Reviewed: Meeting the Healthy People 2020 Objectives to Reduce Cancer Mortality. Preventing chronic disease, 12.

second peer

Yindra Burgos Farah

Florida National University

Nursing Department

BSN Program

NUR 4636 – Community Health Nursing

Prof. Eddie Cruz, RN MSN

November 27th, 2019

1- Mention and discuss the Healthy People 2020 wellness goals and objectives for older adults.

Any aging individual will from time to time, desire to enjoy the health, wellness, and fitness that they so deserve. Nothing offers a person more comfort and peace of mind more than being in top shape. The essence of life is to live happily and without worrying about getting health complications at some point. We look at critical objectives for the seniors.
Engaging in physical activity is one of the most vital goals any elderly should consider. Exercising plays a key role in making sure that someone is not only fit enough but also healthy. You will learn that an exercise that has been approved by a physician will often ensure that the senior remains strong for much longer. Physical activities will usually ensure that they stay in control of their health at all times. Evidently, exercising comes with a sense of satisfaction and happiness too. This way, you will enjoy great peace of mind in the long run. Coupling exercises with suitable nutrition is imperative. It will promote the health of body cells and even improve energy levels too.

Getting enough sleep is beneficial to any senior (Van Dam & Helm, 2016). It is during sleep that the body rests, repairs, restores and even gets ready for a new day. Besides, enough sleep is essential in addressing anxiety and depressive concerns. This way, it will play a vital role in promoting mental health among seniors. Apart from that, it is valuable that the senior appreciates the essence of socializing. Given how likely they have lost friends over the years, making new friendships and relationships will be essential in improving their happiness in the long run.

2- Define and discuss the aging process and the demographic characteristics of the elderly population in your community.
Understanding the dynamics of the aging process is imperative in making beneficial decisions down the road. Aging comes with emotional and physical changes. For instance, loss of vitality tends to be quite evident and prevalent. While some age-related changes could be quite benign, it is essential to indicate that we have various function-limiting ones too (Lim & Yu, 2015). Aging people will often experience declines in the functioning of senses and even increased vulnerability to a couple of medical conditions.

Over the years, various changes in aging demographics have come about. With technological advancement and adoption of evidence-based healthcare, there has been a decline in mortality rates among the aging. This way, there is a higher chance for people to live for over 80 years, and healthily so. (Lim & Yu, 2015)
Studies have come in handy in helping to develop suitable interventions for the detection and prevention of various medical issues. For as long as some conditions are kept at bay, one could comfortably live a healthy life and for quite long too.

3- Identify and discuss nursing actions that address the needs of older adults.
You can barely overlook the impactful role that nurses play in taking care of the needs of the aging. More than often, the burden of caregiving lies on their shoulders. For this reason, it will be prudent that they adopt various approaches in addressing the needs of these seniors. Here are some of the most reliable ways to realize better care for such persons.

Interdisciplinary collaboration will time and again come in handy in ensuring that various issues are comprehensively addressed. With persons from multiple disciplines that touch on the health of the seniors working together, there is a high chance of getting personalized solutions to recurring age-related problems. Besides, this collaboration will make sure that there is no issue in implementing various findings. It is through this that credible solutions will realize their intentions (Kwan & Walsh, 2017).

Further still, aiming at preventive measures will be critical in enhancing wellness. As nurses, it is clear that caregiving is their duty. They are also more conversant with the needs of each patient. For this reason, it is fair to say that they are the cornerstone of wellness, both now and in the future. They will not only provide the required leadership but also educate the elderly on what they need to do in this pursuit.

4- Mention and discuss health/illness concerns common to the elderly population.
As earlier indicated, the body undergoes various changes as one ages. However, this is not indicative of a failing system. Most of the time, seniors face different problems that do include the following (Kwan & Walsh, 2017).

It is common for one to end up with weaker bones and even osteoporosis. Often, it happens among women who are past menopause. This loss of density in the bones makes the elderly susceptible to injuries and frequent falling.

Memory loss is not a new phenomenon among the elderly. After attaining the age of 30, various processes and functions within the body tend to slow down. For this reason, things like memory, hearing, and even sight issues will arise. Besides, some people experience a compromised sense of taste and smell.

References

Kwan, C., & Walsh, C. A. (2017). Seniors’ Disaster Resilience: A Scoping Review Of The Literature. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction , 259-273.

Lim, K. T., & Yu, R. (2015). Aging And Wisdom: Age-Related Changes In Economic And Social Decision Making. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 97-120.

Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M. (2015). Community/Public Health Nursing. Promoting the Health of the Populations (6th ed).

Van Dam, N., & Helm, E. (2016). The Organizational Cost Of Insufficient Sleep. McKinsey Quarterly.