|
General Characteristics
Additionally, the elderly are subject to a variety
of losses that have consequences for their level of
health and well-being. Table 1 below delineates some
of these losses and possible consequences.
Table 1
|
Losses
|
Possible Consequences
|
| Physical capacity |
Poor mobility, transport issues, nursing
home |
| Significant others, friends, family |
Isolation, depression |
| Home, community |
Isolation, depression, adjustment
issues |
| Cognition |
Relocation: assisted living, nursing
home |
| Economic status |
Dependence on others, malnutrition,
self-neglect, relocation |
Sources
Eliopolis, C. (2001).
Gerontological Nursing (5th Ed). Philadelphia:
Lippincott. Johnson, R. A., & Tripp-Reimer, T. (2001).
Relocation among ethnic elders. Journal of Gerontological
Nursing, 27(6), 22-27.
Johnson, R. A., & Tripp-Reimer, T. (2001). Aging,
ethnicity & social support. Journal of Gerontological
Nursing, 27(6),15-21.
The implications of these
characteristics are that there are a growing number
of elderly in the U.S. who are living alone, have poor
support systems, and are financially insecure. Many
elders have children who live too far away to help with
chores and transportation and who have their own families
and busy lives. Additionally, many persons as they age,
whether they have good support systems and financial
ease or not, experience declining capacities to manage
increasingly complex health problems. This leads to
a vicious circle of shrinking resources and expanding
needs. For minority elders this problem may be compounded
by a history of poverty and oppression resulting in
fewer initial resources. It is also true that for some
minority populations cultural support systems may be
better developed. For example, some predominantly African-American
churches have good support systems for their elderly
members.
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