Care Of The Older African Adult

"Geriatric medicine is generally defined as medical care for adults aged 65 years and older. In Africa and in many developing countries, where the average life expectancy is less than 65 years, medical care of the older adult is still being defined and is in its infancy stages. There are also disparities in health and health care of older adults of African origin in most countries across the world. The aim of this book is to provide a clinical practice resource for physicians and allied health professionals, as they deliver clinical care for older adults of African descent all over the world. It is not intended to be a comprehensive textbook for geriatric medicine. Instead, we focus on common health care issues and unique cultural characteristics that often impact health care utilization in this vulnerable subset of older adults. Chapter authors are medical experts from across several continents, with extensive training and experience in providing medical care for older adults of African descent"--

CARING FOR THE OLDER ADULT: A HEALTH PROMOTION PERSPECTIVE is a concise, straightforward LPN/LVN textbook covering the essentials of gerontologic nursing from a strong health promotion perspective. The nature of normal aging, as well as disorders common to the elderly, are discussed. This resource also addresses concepts and issues related to promoting both physical and psychological health in an aging population. The engaging, easy-to-read, informal writing style draws the reader into the subject while conveying important information.

Society, as a whole is getting older. Thanks to the extraordinary advances in technology and medicine, humans are now living longer than ever before, and are shifting the demographic make-up on a worldwide scale. As a result, more and more of us are living and engaging with an aging population in both our personal and professional lives, and there's a heightened demand for concrete research and advice on how to effectively provide care for this growing demographic. The Care of the Older brings together some of today's most experienced geriatric researchers to provide concrete answers for care providers of all kinds-doctors, nurses, therapists, nursing home workers, and spouses and children of elderly-who are spending more and more time working with our aging population.The Care for the Older Person is broken up into 23 chapters written by an esteemed group of doctors and researchers, each covering a different aspect of elder care.

This collection of in-depth ethnographic analysis examines the impact of local and global transformations on the care, or lack of care, older people receive in Sub-Saharan Africa. This volume provides the pan-African evidence and analysis needed to move forward debates about how to address the long term care needs of this vulnerable population. Case studies from different regions of the continent (southern, central, east and west Africa) examine formal and informal care, including inter- and intra-generational care, retirement homes, care in the context of poverty, HIV/AIDS and migration.

Now in its Fifth Edition, this text provides a comprehensive and wellness-oriented approach to the theory and practice of gerontologic nursing. Organized around the author's unique "functional consequences theory" of gerontologic nursing, the book explores "normal" age-related changes and risk factors that often interfere with optimal health and functioning, to effectively identify and teach health-promotion interventions. The author provides research-based background information and a variety of practical assessment and intervention strategies for use in every clinical setting. Highlights of this edition include expanded coverage of evidence-based practice, more first-person stories, new chapters, and clinical tools such as assessment tools recommended by the Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing.

Health care organizations are beginning to recognize the importance of cultural competence as it relates to efficiency, quality, and equity in the delivery of care within a competitive health care market, and Culture, Heritage, and Diversity in Older Adult Mental Health Care is designed to train mental health clinicians to deliver culturally sensitive care to an increasingly diverse patient population. Projections indicate that 35% of patients older than age 65 will be from a racial or ethnic minority group by 2050, compared with 11% in 1970. Today's mental health practitioners require knowledge, sensitivity, and an understanding of institutionalized practices and systems that undermine their patients' health and well-being. The term culture is multifaceted and may refer to one's belief system, values, religion, race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, language, sexual orientation, geographic location, educational level, age, occupational risks and exposures, and gender. The authors of the book examine mental health care through these lenses, teaching the reader about implicit biases and potential miscommunication and offering strategies for overcoming these difficulties. The editor, who has worked in leadership positions overseeing veterans' mental health services, has assembled an impressive and diverse roster of contributors, each with specific expertise in his or her assigned subject. - The ways in which cultural competency interacts with the six Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies are explored in detail. For example, in terms of patient care, cultural competency plays an important role in gathering subjective data about a patient that may ultimately impact outcomes. Teaching methods to increase cultural sensitivity and build skills in this area are highlighted, as are training modalities and clinician evaluation.- The effects of migration and acculturation on mental health are examined, providing clinicians with several theoretical frameworks for understanding the migratory experience in older adults and exploring psychosocial factors associated with psychological risk in aging immigrants.- Linguistic competence, defined broadly as effective communication with individuals speaking a nondominant language, is an essential component of culturally competent health care and is of particular importance in mental health care. Accordingly, the authors analyze linguistic competency in both administrative and clinical encounters and present strategies for achieving mastery in this critically important area.- The text provides an abundance of tables and pedagogical features designed to enhance comprehension, including learning objectives, key points, and study questions. Cultural competence in health care systems is defined as the ability to understand and integrate the features listed above into the provision of health care services. Culture, Heritage, and Diversity in Older Adult Mental Health Care prepares clinicians to provide sensitive, high-quality, culturally competent care to geriatric patients from diverse backgrounds and will prove indispensable as patient demographics continue to change.

This book explores health and care of the older population in Africa, focusing on policy and programmatic responses, gaps and future challenges related to health and care across the continent. The first part of the book sets the scene for the volume, profiling the demographic and health situation of the elderly in Africa. It also provides an overview of the various models of care in Africa, looking in particular at the family care model, which constitutes the main source of support for the elderly in Africa. Part 2 provides case studies from across the continent to explore varying forms of elder care as well as the health challenges facing the elderly in the different contexts. The final part considers key aspects related to older person’s experience of social pensions, which are widely recognised as a potentially powerful strategy of meeting the needs of older persons.. Identifying lessons regarding African-centric models of care, as well as reflections on the structural and policy challenges that are likely to confront countries across the continent as they strive to meet the specific needs of increasingly ageing populations, this book will be of interest to scholars of health and social care of the elderly.

Updated to the latest data and expert information, the Third Edition of Nutrition for the Older Adult introduces students to the unique nutritional needs of this growing population. Designed for the undergraduate, the text begins by covering the basics, including the demographics of aging, physiology of aging, and vitamin and mineral requirements for older adults. It then delves into clinical considerations, including the nutritional implications of diseases and conditions common among older adult. Additional coverage includes: nutritional assessment, pharmacology, nutritional support, and much more. With new pedagogical features along with revamped end-of-chapter activities and questions, Nutrition for the Older Adult is an essential resource for students in the fields of nutrition, nursing, public health and gerontology.