GENERAL IN DISEASES OF THE ELDERLY

In the elderly are given many physiological changes due to aging. But not always as easy to detect these changes at first, which makes the diagnosis and treatment.

In elderly patients it is important to take into account in order to provide appropriate assistance:

Heterogeneity in over sixty-five years.

Peculiarities of disease.

Fragility.

Comorbidity and polypharmacy.

Tendency to chronicity.

Less favorable forecasts disease.

Increased use of health resources.

Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.

Increased need for rehabilitation.

Frequent need social resources

Common ethical problems.

GERIATRIC SYNDROMES

We talk about Geriatric Syndromes, when presented a series of health problems in elderly and destabilizing.

These depend on various factors, become chronic, and complex treatment involving impaired autonomy.

Large geriatric syndromes are:

- Immobility                             

- Instability

- Incontinence 

- Intelectual impairment 

- Infection

- Inanition

- Impairment of vision and hearing 

- Irritable colon

- Isolation

- Insomnia

- Iatrogenesis

- Immune deficiency

- Impotence 

PAIN

Pain is one of the most important symptoms defining geriatric syndromes.

The pain is a manifestation linked to different situations: bone, respiratory, cardiac, etc. In these patients is usually chronic.

In pain we must consider:

- Location.

- Duration.

- Intensity. (By visual or verbal scales)

- Factors that increase and decrease.

- Interference with ADL.

- Physiological, psychological, communication problems.

- Physiological adaptation to pain.

- Family pose.

- Personal knowledge of the situation, anxiety or fear.

- Denial of pain.

To assess pain using the VAS scale:

To better understand what we mean when we speak of pain, this video explains it very visual. Made by the HNEAHS. 

I leave here the link HNEAHS, if anyone wants more information.

http://www.hnehealth.nsw.gov.au/pain

Bibliography:

1. Infermeravirtual.com [Internet]. Síndromes geriátricos. Col-legi oficial Infermeres i infermers Barcelona. Disponible en: http://www.infermeravirtual.com/es-es/situaciones-de-vida/vejez/informacion-relacionada.html

2.Solare. A, C.A, Valenzuela. T, P.S, Carrillo. G. Manejo del paciente Terminal. [Internet]. México. Unidad de Medicina del Dolor y Paliativa. Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición “Salvador Zubirán”; 2006.  Disponible en:  http://www.incan.org.mx/revistaincan/elementos/documentosPortada/1172291086.pdf