HEALTH EDUCATION IN THE GERIATRIC PATIENT

Maintaining health and functional independence is THE MOST IMPORTANT of promoting health in geriatric patients.

In the elderly, sick forms have particular characteristics, increasing degenerative diseases such as: heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, vascular disease (ACV, peripheral vascular disease), arthritis, skin diseases , and accidents (falls, burns, poisoning) causing all long periods of incarnation in hospitals.

There are a number of conditions of life that trigger negative situations: organic, environmental and relationships, can coexist pathological problems.

Nursing should establish a set of objectives to these patients:

- Reduce mortality

- Maintain the independence

- Increase in life expectancy

- Improve the quality of life

 

Promote different types of preventive interventions in these patients can be effective to reduce or delay disease and disability.

Programs of health promotion for the elderly population have the ability to improve the health of this group.

Psychosocial intervention with elders and carers through educational activities for group, forming health support groups, can have great benefits in improving the quality of life of these patients.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

- Torres Egea Mª Pilar, Ballesteros Pérez Esperanza, Sánchez Castillo Pablo David.. Programs and interventions to support informal carers in Spain. Gerokomos [serial on the Internet]. 2008 Mar [cited 2013 Apr 07], 19 (1): 9-15. Available at: http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1134-928X2008000100002&lng=es. http://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1134-928X2008000100002

- Hervas A., Arizcuren MA, Garcia de Jalon E, Tiberio G, Forcén T. Influence of socio-sanitary situation in cognitive status and mood in geriatric patients of a health center. Annals Sis San Navarra [serial on the Internet]. Aug 2003 [cited 2013 Apr 07], 26 (2): 211-223. Available at: http://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1137-66272003000300003&lng=es. http://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1137-66272003000300003

- Gómez Juanola Manolo, Machín Díaz Mario Jesús, Roque Acanda Kenia, Hernández Medina Guillermo. Considerations of the geriatric patient. Integr Gen Rev Cubana Med [magazine on the Internet]. 2001 Oct [cited 2013 Apr 07], 17 (5): 468-472. Available at: http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0864-21252001000500010&lng=es

- Strategies for Improving the Quality of. Care of the El