Essay Instructions: Disciplined Inquiry: Older Adult Assessment
Instructions
1. Review Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs before beginning the project.
2. Select an individual 65 years or older as the subject. This may be a relative, friend, or client who gives permission for interview(s) to allow you to collect the data (as outlined below) for the project. Establish a rapport with client using therapeutic communication techniques.
3. Use a flushed left heading for headings and a narrative/paragraph(s) directly under each heading with appropriate content. Typos and incorrect grammar detract from the professionalism of the project and may be the cause of no extra points being given. Use initials only; do not use names or photos for any reason as may be considered a violation of HIPAA.
4. The final section in the project is a Journal Note that reflects your feelings/concerns regarding the present health status and needs of the selected subject. Address your feelings and thoughts about older adults and aging in general. How has your perspective changed as a result of preparing this paper? (The journal note is not to be a summary of the subject’s situation.)
Guidelines for Content of the Project:
Bold type represents headings.
1. Provide a thorough physical description of the client. Physical appearance should include, at least, age, height, weight, posture, and any assistive devices used.
2. Provide a description of lifestyle, make a sub heading for each of the following: family structure (support system, pets), employment history, present living arrangements (including a brief description of the residence), general sources of income (not specifics), health insurance, daily activities, social activities, church (does he/she attend, does family attend, why or why not?), eating habits (food and fluid), degree of independence (what can subject do on own), and health promotion activities (visits to physician office/clinics, SBE, etc).
3. Provide a detailed description of the subject’s past health history and current health status: Consider common physical and psychosocial problems of this age group (osteoporosis, arthritis, depression, etc) and report on those experienced by this subject. Include dates of diagnosis, signs and symptoms of conditions exhibited by the subject, and medications taken.
4. Describe the Impact of Aging on Quality of Life (make a subheading and write a paragraph for each of the following comparing present status with mid-adulthood): physical health (decreased endurance?), diet/nutrition/eating (amounts/types of food eaten? Changes in food preferences and tolerances? Mealtimes different?), independence/autonomy (assistance needed with ADL’s), financial status (previous employment, previous expenses such as house payments/child rearing/health insurance compared to present financial obligations), responsibilities (house maintenance, lawn care, bill writing, etc), social life (same/different hobbies/activities compared to younger days, what prompted any changes?) family (changes in relationships with family members occurring with old age), sexuality/relationships (relationship between spouses, changes in sexuality over time, expressions of love, level of interest in opposite sex).
5. Fears/concerns regarding the future (such as death, illness, aloneness): Ask the client what his/her biggest concern related to aging is. To encourage interaction you could say something like “Sometimes people worry about things like being alone or being sick.”
6. Identification of Potential Needs: Identify THREE areas in which changes could be made to improve the quality of life and health for this individual. Support your selections.
7. Proposed Plan to Improve Quality of Life: Devise a plan for addressing each of the three areas identified in #6. Discuss changes that could be made in each of the three areas to improve the quality of life and health for this person.
8. Journal Note
