Introduction to Public Health Ageing PDF

Introduction to Public Health Ageing  Outline Definition of gerontology Categorization of older adults Definition of subfields of gerontology Geriatrics Social gerontology Biological gerontology Psychological gerontology Gerontological Nursing Attitude...

Introduction to Public Health Ageing  Outline Definition of gerontology Categorization of older adults Definition of subfields of gerontology Geriatrics Social gerontology Biological gerontology Psychological gerontology Gerontological Nursing Attitude toward aging and older adults Ageism  Definitions Gerontology Is the broad term used to define the study of aging and/or the aged. It includes the biopsychosocial aspects of aging. Under the umbrella of gerontology are several subfields, including geriatrics, social gerontology, gero-psychology, gero-pharmacology, gerontological nursing. What is old and who defines old age? Interestingly, although “old” is often defined as over 65 years of age, this is an arbitrary number set by the Social Security Administration. Today, the older age group is often divided into the young old (ages 65–74), the middle old (ages 75–84), and the old old, or frail elderly (ages 85 and up). However, these numbers merely provide a guideline and do not actually define the various strata of the aging population  Geriatrics is often used as a generic term relating to older adults, but specifically refers to the medical care of the older adults. Geriatricians are physicians trained in geriatric medicine. But Gerontology denotes a holistic viewpoint, including both wellness and illness care of older adults. Among individuals, vast differences exist between biological and chronological aging, and between the physical, emotional, and social aspects of aging  Branches of gerontology Social gerontology is concerned mainly with the social aspects of aging Biological gerontology is concerned mainly with the physical aspects of aging Psychological gerontology is concerned mainly with the emotional aspects of aging Gerontological nursing falls within the discipline of nursing and the scope of nursing practice.  Geropsychology versus Geropharmacology Geropsychology is a branch of psychology concerned with helping older persons and their families to maintain well-being, overcome problems, and achieve maximum potential during later life. Geropharmacology is the study of pharmacology as it relates to older adults.  Attitudes Toward Aging and Older Adults It influenced by your observations of family members, friends, neighbors, and the media, as well as your own experience with older adults. The way you view aging and older adults is often a product of your environment and the experiences to which you have been exposed.  Negative attitudes toward aging or older adults (ageism) often arise in the same way from negative past experiences. Ageism is one reason for studying the aging process—to examine the myths and realities, to separate fact from fiction, and to gain an appreciation for what older adults have to offer  fgfaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Communicate exactly what the term mean. Make the concept measurable phenomena. DEMOGRAPHY OF OLDER POPULATION  DEMOGRAPHY Is the study of the size, growth, age, and geographical distribution of human populations, including births, deaths, and migrations. The Population Division of the United Nations (UN) has a long tradition of studying population ageing; This includes estimating and projecting the size and characteristics of aging populations and examining the associated determinants and consequences. DEMOGRAPHY The Population Division of the United Nations (UN) published a report that highlighted the key indicators and consequences of population ageing.  FOUR MAJOR THEMES OF POPULATION DIVISION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) 1) Population ageing is unprecedented A population ages when an increase in the proportion of older people (those aged 60 years or over) is accompanied by a reduction in the proportion of children (those under 15 years) and by a decline in the proportion of people of working age (15–59).  FOUR MAJOR THEMES OF POPULATION DIVISION OF THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) Population ageing is pervasive While the focus was originally on ageing in developed regions, population ageing is now almost a worldwide phenomenon. Population ageing is irreversible and the young populations that were common until recently are likely to become a rarity over the course of the twenty-first century.  3) Population ageing is profound Population ageing has major consequences for all aspects of human life. From an economic perspective: population ageing will have an impact on economic growth, savings, investment, pensions and taxation. From a social perspective: population ageing influences family composition and living arrangements, housing demands, migration, and the need for health and social care services. 4) POPULATION AGEING IS ENDURING If old age mortality continues to decline and fertility remains low, the proportion of older people in the population will continue to increase.  AGEING? 1-Decline in fertility rates Fertility decline has been the primary determinant of population ageing. Over the last half century, the total fertility rate decreased globally. (INCREASED LIFE EXPECTANCY) 2- As fertility rates move towards lower levels, mortality decline, especially in older ages. People are living longer due to improvements in health and medical care, sanitation, diet, preventative health care and technological advances. The older population is growing at a considerably faster rate than the world’s total population. Although the highest proportion of older people is found in the more developed regions, this age group is growing considerably more rapidly in the less-  WORLD POPULATION AGEING The global population aged 60 years or over numbered 962 million in 2017, more than twice as large as in 1980 when there were 382 million older persons worldwide. The number of older persons is expected to double again by 2050, when it is projected to reach nearly 2.1 billion. Africa is followed by Latin America and the Caribbean, where the older population is projected to increase more than twofold between 2017 and 2050, from 76 to 198 million.  Asia also is expected to experience a twofold increase in the number of older persons, with the population aged 60 or over projected to increase from 549 million in 2017 to nearly 1.3 billion in 2050. Of the six major geographic regions, the older population is expected to grow most slowly in Europe, with a projected increase of 35 per cent between 2017 and 2050 WOMEN TEND TO LIVE LONGER THAN MEN: AT THE GLOBAL LEVEL IN 2010-2015, WOMEN’S LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH EXCEEDED THAT OF MEN BY 4.6 YEARS.  SIGNIFICANCE OF DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION Impact on the family The health of older people typically deteriorates with increasing age, indicating greater demand for long- term care as the numbers of older people increase. This will have implications in family caregiving as adult children who currently provide care to older relatives will in fact themselves be older and possibly in need of assistance from statutory services.  From the perspective of older female carers, these demographic changes can cause further exacerbate the burden of caring. Additionally, older carers are not perceived as having a social life and consequently receive less support in this area than younger carers  PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH increasing numbers of older people with multiple health needs will place additional demands on health and social care resources. The health complaints that have the strongest impact on daily living, the ‘geriatric giants’, are mental/cognitive functioning, mobility, balance and stability, vision and hearing and incontinence.  The prevalence of dementia increases in old age and places major demands on both paid and unpaid carers, as well as health care system. Falls are the leading course of injury-related hospitalizations in persons over 65 years and can lead to numerous disabling conditions, extensive hospital stays and death.  LONELINESS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION Older people living alone are at greater risk of experiencing social isolation. Several factors including demographic variables as well as health, material and social resources are implicated in the loneliness or isolation reported by older people. THE PROVISION OF DOMICILIARY SERVICES AS WELL AS HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE SERVICES Older people are the main users of health and social care services and therefore the quality-of-service provision has a critical bearing on their quality of life. Community domiciliary care services are important for older people to be able to live independently in their own homes and prevent deterioration in their quality of life. DOMICILIARY SERVICES INCLUDE: (1) Continuity among carers and other services coming into the home to enable them to establish a relationship with service providers (2) Training of care staff to include listening to the older person (3) Adaptations to houses and aids to help promote independence (4) Provision of transport services to facilitate regular contact with friends and relatives and to attend social clubs and other social events (5) Better health care services.  AGING IN PLACE ‘Ageing in place’ is a broad term for a policy which recognizes the deep attachments that older people have to their homes rather than in hospital or residential settings. Home, for many older people, is a powerful symbol of autonomy and independence whereas institutions are associated symbolically with the loss of autonomy and independence.  AGING IN PLACE The philosophy of ageing in place recognizes that the movement of older people between care settings and from home to an institutional environment is often to the detriment of their health and against their wishes.