Toward Healthy Aging: Human Needs and Nursing Response

This text uses Maslow's "hierarchy of needs" as the conceptual foundation for care of the ageing client. Maslow's theory states that human beings' needs are arranged in a hierarchy: the lower ones being the need for food and shelter, and the higher ones being the need for self-esteem and "self-actualization". The basic crux of the theory is that the higher needs are not important until the lower ones are satisfied. Within this framework, the book covers common pathologic conditions and provides information about activity, nutrition, environment, lifestyle, ethnicity and culturalism. Nursing care sections offer practical intervention methods for maintaining or returning the ageing client to wellness. This edition contains a new chapter on psychotropic medication, providing the latest information about drug therapy and nursing implications. A concise geriatric assessment table is included to provide nurses with practical assessment information.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Theoretic foundations: development of gerontology, appendix - games for sensitivity training; theories of ageing; health and wellness; age-related changes, appendices - a) normal physical assessment findings in the elderly, b) physical and functional assessment instruments, c) cultural status exam, d) the family APGAR; laboratory values and implications for the aged. Part 2 Biological integrity: basic biologic support needs, appendix - Braden scale for predicting pressure sores; common chronic problems and their management; pain and comfort, appendices - a) equianalgesic chart, b) equianalgesic chart (2), c) common nonprescription analgesics, d) guidelines for effective use of non-narcotic analgesics; pharmacologic management and drug use, appendices - a) medications that can and cannot be used by older adults, b) special drug considerations for the elderly, c) side effects of drugs used by the elderly, d) drugs inducing vitamin deficiency, e) examples of mechanisms causing vitamin deficiency, f) screening tests for vitamin deficiency. Part 3 Safety and security: mobility; sensory and perceptual issues of aged; environmental safety and security, appendices - a) home care - a checklist for assessment of the physical setting and tasks for home care, b) home assessment checklist, c) community assessment guide; economic and legal considerations of the aged - a) the medical directive; the frail and vulnerable aged - a) screening protocols for identification of abuse and neglect of the elderly, b) Harborview Hospital's data collection for elder abuse cases. Part 4 Belonging: intimacy, sexuality and ageing; relationships - primary and secondary; loneliness, isolation and depression, appendix - a) depression rating scales. Part 5 Self-esteem: crisis and stress management; transitions and role changes; mental health and cognition, appendix - major categories of geriatric mental disorders; DSMIIIR; psychotropic medications, appendices - a) psychoactive drugs and special considerations, b) commonly prescribed medications by category; cohorts and culture. Part 6 Self-actualization: achieving self-actualization through learning and creativity; transcendence - death, dying and legacies. Part 7 Professionalism and development: professionalization of gerontic nursing care, appendices - a) ANA standards of gerontological nursing practice, b) nursing research funding sources, c) data sources, d) gerontic nursing education programmes, e) gerontic education centres; the development of gerontic nursing. Appendices: resources; audiovisuals on ageing; journals on ageing.