Psychological Issues of Independent Living Essay
Introduction
Mr. T. is a 79 years old man who recently lost his wife and continues to live in the house where his family lived for more than 50 years. Even though the report shows that Mr. T. manages his IADL and ADL without problems, he might experience certain complications in his independent living. The main concerns are his psychological state, physical health, and safety issues.
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Identified Issues
Eight possible issues that may impact Mr. T.’s health and safety and require nursing supervision were identified. The first issue is the need for regular checkups to control the patient’s health state. It is critical to remember that he is 79 years old, which means that he has specific problems with physical health. The symptoms might not be easy to recognize, which foregrounds the necessity for professional supervision of Mr. T. His three adult children who visit him regularly do not have the qualifications to understand whether the health concerns of their father are severe or not.
The second potential problem is connected with the planning of the house where Mr. T. lives. It is potentially unsafe that the bathroom and the bedroom are situated on the second floor. Even though Mr. T. does not have problems going upstairs and descending from them, it increases the risk of falls. Therefore, the house is not optimized for the life of a single older adult.
The third concern is the driving license that Mr. T. has and his potential desire to use the car. Driving is a potentially dangerous experience for Mr. T. and for other people, which makes the question of driving safety critical. For example, the decrease in attention and visual acuity might become the reason for car accidents. Some medications Mr. T. uses might also cause drowsiness, which might cause accidents on the road.
The fourth concern is the psychological health of Mr. T., who recently lost his wife. As already mentioned, the man lived with his family in this house for all his adult life. Therefore, the house is filled with memories of the past. Even though it might be the place that he loves and cannot leave, it is still connected with sad memories that might cause depression.
The fifth issue is the functional assessment of Mr. T.’s ability to perform self-care in general and good dieting in particular. It includes such things as shopping and preparing balanced foods for himself. It is necessary to remember that malnutrition might cause significant health impairment. An older adult might not have enough information about dietary recommendations, or he might ignore these pieces of advice.
Performing relationship and social roles
The sixth potential concern is fall prevention because Mr. T. uses the walker to gain balance and facilitate movements. It shows that the man has difficulty exercising, which justifies the need to be more attentive to his state. The stairs in the house are not the only problem that might lead to falls. Doorsteps and slippery floors with objects are among potential obstacles for Mr. T.
The seventh issue that requires attention is the evaluation of cognitive deficits that Mr. T. might have. It is not easy to detect them formally, and in most cases, there is a need for informal supervision. Adult children of Mr. T. do not live with him, which makes it impossible to watch his behavior regularly. Changes in cognition, attention deficit, or other neurological issues might endanger the life of the older adult who lives alone.
The eighth potential problem is following the regime of taking the prescribed medications and coping with older adults’ chronic pain. Although there is no precise information about the health issues Mr. T. has, it is possible to hypothesize that he has chronic illnesses that negatively affect his life. For instance, he has to control his blood pressure regularly and take medications.
Actions
Healthcare professionals and relatives must ensure that Mr. T. lives in comfortable and safe conditions. The first concern is fall prevention, which requires changes in the patient’s house. For instance, rubber mats on the floor in the bathroom and the appropriate height of bathroom facilities, including toilet and rub, are essential in fall prevention (Griffith et al., 2017). There should be no door locks in the bathroom to facilitate access to it, and Mr. T. should give keys to the house to his adult children.
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The second issue to be addressed is safe driving, potentially dangerous for older adults and other people. It is necessary to compensate for the existing health problems Mr. T. has, including his sight (Goldman et al., 2017). Moreover, it is possible to use assistive devices in the car that ensure safe driving, including an automatic parking function, navigation, and a voice helper that announces signs and directions for movement.
The third concern is supporting the regime and taking the prescribed medications. Mr. T. should receive a schedule describing all details, and his adult children should remind him of the regime calling him every day (Benton, 2021). The fourth concern is psychological health which can be improved by regular communication with his family and participation in social life (Lagergren et al., 2017). It is critical to ensure that Mr. T. is not isolated from the community; he meets with friends, neighbors, adult children, and grandchildren.
Conclusion
Mr. T. is an older adult man who was recently widowed, making him especially vulnerable. He needs the assistance of his adult children and healthcare professionals to control his physical and physiological health. The older man does not want to be dependent on other people, which makes it critical to preserve his autonomy, respect his human dignity, and make everything possible to ensure his safety and well-being.
References
Benton, D. (2021). Care managers and families: Providing the right support. Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging, 45(1), 1–8. Web.
Goldman, N., Glei, D. A., & Weinstein, M. (2017). The best predictors of survival: Do they vary by age, sex, and race? Population and Development Review, 43(3), 541–560. Web.
Griffith, L. E., Raina, P., Levasseur, M., Sohel, N., Payette, H., Tuokko, H., van den Heuvel, E., Wister, A., Gilsing, A., & Patterson, C. (2017). Functional disability and social participation restriction associated with chronic conditions in middle-aged and older adults. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health (1979-), 71(4), 381–389. Web.
Lagergren, M., Johnell, K., Schon, P., & Danielsson, M. (2017). Towards a postponement of activities of daily living dependence and mobility limitations: Trends in healthy life years in old age in Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 45(5), 520–527. Web.
