Needs of the older person

In this essay I will explore a range of older person’s needs to include physical, social, emotional, psychological, recreational, environmental and spiritual needs.
Physical needs of the older person.
As we age our metabolic rate slows down and our body cells become less efficient. This in turn effects the functioning of the body’s major organs. Our muscles, joints and ligaments all become less supple, resulting in stiffness, loss of ability and agility. Most elderly people complain of some degree of arthritis. How we age depends on our diet, exercise, personal habits and psychosocial factors (Everyday Needs, 2013).
The normal signs of aging are nervous system changes, hair thins / baldness, loss of hair pigmentation, loss of hearing (balance can also be affected), eye sight deteriorates, gum disease (taste and smell affected), Dry skin / wrinkled (thinning of fat layer / loss of elasticity), skin fragility (increased incidence of skin tears and ulcers), heart shrinks (fat increases), metabolic rate slows, respiratory system less efficient, gallbladder less effective, constipation due to lax muscle tone in the bowel and lack of mobility, touch less sensitive, extreme of heat/cold/pain, muscle tone loss & reproductive system (hormonal changes)(Everyday Needs, 2013).
As well as the above mentioned normal signs of aging the older person can also suffer with physical diseases such as eye problems (cataracts or glaucoma), oral health problems, skin problems (warts, moles, ulcerations, varicose veins, shingles), arthritis in bones and joints, nervous system problems (hypothermia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease) and dementia (Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form)(Right at home, 2013).
Normal age-related changes are often exacerbated by the presence of chronic disease. Chronic disease is sometimes a fact of life with older people and can make it difficult for them to carry out daily activities. This is where the healthcare worker or family member sometimes steps in to provide help and care when needed. The older person may not be as mobile as before thus needing help and assistance with washing and dressing. For those confined to bed hoists and lifts may be required in order to provide proper care. It is important for the healthcare worker or family members to nurture a healthy and positive attitude to life. People who adopt a positive attitude, learn how to turn negative situations to their advantage. They tend to use their mental as well as physical faculties better and are in general happier people. It is important that they nurture friendships as a healthy social life is important. Promoting self care, e.g., good hygiene habits, being clean / well presented, dental visits regularly, eye tests, take care of skin, drink lots of fluids, eat a well balanced diet and exercise is also the key to healthy physical aging (Right at home, 2013).
Social needs of the older person.
There are a number of factors which have a huge effect on the older person. They may long for retirement and when it comes, they may find that it is nothing like they envisaged, even with the best preparation. Retirement may also result in loss of status as they may have held down an important work position, felt they were part of a team, felt valued and useful and maybe their working life was their social life too. Work colleagues are left behind as are people they considered friends. (Everyday Needs, 2013).
If no pension provision has been made it makes life very difficult unless the older person has savings. Their standard of living / social life is affected. They may have lots of free time, but no money to go on outings etc. Life changes can also make increasing demands, e.g., their children leaving home, loss of a partner, loss of friends. These can all cause feelings of anxiety / depression. Feeling isolated and not wanting to be dependent on anyone is a big social factor for the elderly, they may not want to ask for help or may not be able to drive, this may lead to depression, confusion and anxiety.
The emotional needs of the older person.
The two most important emotional needs of the older person include having a sense of control and being involved in decision making. Healthcare workers and family members should always speak to the older person, not over their heads, involve them in decision making and above all listen to their wishes. If this isn’t done it may result in behaviours such as anger, increased demands, helplessness or complete withdrawal. As we all get older we should make our wishes know to our family and write them down (Livestrong, 2013).
The Psychological needs of the older person.
Psychological changes take place as we age and affect some people worse than others. The information we have gained throughout our lives stays with us but sometimes it becomes more difficult to process information, especially when there are lots of people talking at the same time. For some older people it is easier for them to remember something from 40 years ago than something that happened today. Some elderly people get dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and this causes confusion, disorientation, and memory loss and behaviour changes. It is important for the person to have a complete check up with their GP should any of these symptoms occur. As healthcare workers, communication is central to our role and we should listen to their concerns, speak in words that they understand. Always encourage them to join clubs, hobbies, reading and friendships (Right at home, 2013).Ireland it is getting much harder for older people to get

Financial needs of the older person.
Some older people have no private pension and depend solely on the state pension which can be contributory or non-contributory. Having worked for years earning good money they suddenly find themselves trying to manage on this state pension. Their medical costs are high if they don’t have a medical card and even if they do, they still have the prescription costs to absorb. Due to government cut backs in recent years the telephone allowance has been abolished for older people so therefore they have another bill eventhough this is an essential item for them to have because it provides them with a little bit of security. If their health is failing they may not be able to renew their driving licence so this will mean they have to use public transport or pay for taxi’s. As public waiting lists for consultant appointments are so long, sometimes an older person has to pay to go privately and this costs alot of money, especially if they are trying to survive on the state pension alone.
The recreational needs of the older person.
Recreational needs are very important for the older person as they give them something to look forward to, something to challenge them, and it also allows them have social interaction with friends and family. Depending on how mobile the person is they could go on outings, go to shows or the cinema, swimming, chair yoga, dog therapy, classes etc.
The environmental needs of the older person.
Environmental needs will depend on the health and well being of the older person. If they are mobile and healthy then they can carry on within their home as normal and no changes or very few need to be made. However, should they have a stroke or are less mobile or bed bound they will require equipment that makes their lives and the person caring for them a little easier. Examples of such equipment are automatic beds, electric or battery operated hoists, special mattress, lift instead of stairs, ramps instead of steps and adapted kitchen and bathrooms where necessary. Due to government cut backs in the healthcare service in Ireland, it is getting much harder for older people to get grants to allow them adapt their home to their needs which is very sad.
The spiritual needs of the older person.
The spiritual needs of many people are very important and especially important to some older people. In order for the healthcare worker to fulfil these needs they need to communicate with the person themselves or with the person’s family. God is not important spiritually to some people but meditating, yoga, art or music might be, so it is imperative to take the time to find out. Always be respective of the older person’s belief’s and never put your own belief’s on them. Always be aware of fasting days and feast days and facilitate their needs by bringing them to mass or whatever celebrations they want to go to.
In conclusion, we should always treat older people as very valuable members of our society. They have a vast knowledge and life experience and could teach us all a thing or two. We should always demonstrate empathy, respect and patience and promote privacy, dignity, independence and positive self image.

Reference List:-

Everyday Needs (2013), Day to Day Needs [online] available: http://everydayneedssmhs.weebly.com/elderly1.html [accessed 29 January 2014]
Right at home (2013), helpful-info [online] available: http://www.rightathome.ie/helpful-info/signs-your-loved-ones-needs-are-changing [accessed 29 January 2014]
Livestrong (2013), How to care for the Emotional Needs of the Elderly [online] available: http://livestrong.com/article/19018-care-emotional-needs-elderly [accessed 29 January 2014] pension alone. (