CapstoneCommunity Aggregate Paper to Improve Family Life Style in Patientwith Dementia
WidyMorvan-Telismond
NSG4075 Holistic Professional Nursing
DR.Scialdo
SouthUniversity
CapstoneCommunity Aggregate
Thispaper discusses the creation and implementation of a health promotionproject by synthesizing all information collected throughout the RNto BSN completion program.
Introduction& Problem Statement
Thispaper focuses on finalizing the capstone of a health promotion planfor a 70-years-old female patient who suffers from dementia. Thepatient was diagnosed with this condition five-year ago, at the ageof sixty-five. She was selected since she is likely to give the mostappropriate information needed for this project. The patient wasenrolled at Broward Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre where sheunderwent rehabilitative care to avoid future medical complications.The project aims at providing proper care to the patient to enableher to live a better life. At the end of the project, risksassociated with the patient’s health status are expected to reduceat a substantial rate. Additionally, the rehabilitative care isexpected to increase the patient life span as compared if sheremained at home. The implementation process aims at prevention ofmortality rates, decrease costs of health services, reduces incessanthospitalization, and promotes the life of dementia patients. Inaddition, it focuses on educating the public about dementia and thebenefits of early diagnosis. As a result, they will learn how to takecare of dementia patients hence, reduce the number of peoplehospitalized with this condition.
Trendsand Statistics
Worldwide,the number of people living with Alzheimer disease is rapidlyincreasing. Statistics shows that an estimate of five millionAmericans suffers from Alzheimer disease in 2016 (Centerfor Disease Control and Prevention, 2016).Among them, ninety-nine percent are older people above sixty-fiveyears old. According to CDC, this number is more likely to increasein the coming years. By 2050, the number of people with Alzheimer maytriple if nothing is done to prevent or cure the disease.
RelatedSources
Alzheimerranks number five among the leading cause of death among the elderlypeople in the United States. According to the official deathcertificates figures, over eighty-four Americans died in 2013 fromAlzheimer. In 2016, this number is expected to increase to sevenhundred thousand. According to healthy people 2020 statistics, aboutforty percent of elderly people were aware of their dementiadiagnosis in 2007 (Healthy People 2020, 2014). Unfortunately, it isnearly impossible to prevent, cure, or even slow down dementia inelderly people.
TheClient: Objective & Subjective Assessment
A.Mis a seventy-year-old female black African-American with dementia.Born in 1945, she got married at the age of twenty-five when shemoved from her hometown, Atlanta Georgia to South Florida to enjoythe warm weather. When she gave birth to her children, A.M opted tostay home and take care of them. Later, she got a part-time job as acashier at a local store. She later moved to Fort Lauderdale,Florida, where she has lived ever since.
In2010, at the age of sixty-five, A. M was diagnosed with dementia. Itis then that she realized she had trouble remembering simple things.For instance, she occasionally misplaced keys. Initially, she thoughtit because she was getting old hence, normal. However, the conditionbecame worse when she could no longer remember the names of herchildren. Her condition deteriorated, and she became dependent on herchildren. It was later that she was enrolled in a nursing home.
CaseStudy
Thepatient is a seventy-year-old female who was diagnosed with dementiasix years ago. She weighs sixty kilograms and is 166 centimeterstall. Her pulse ranges 80-85, BP at 135/78, and respiration at 20.The patient is enrolled at the Broward Nursing Rehabilitation Centreand placed under a rehabilitative care plan. This is to ensure sheremains emotionally fit, and free from any environment that can deterher health condition. In addition, all her other needs are wellhandled including feeding, grooming, and toileting. Since she has apoor appetite, the patient is prescribed to Megace, an appetiteenhancer. One of her teeth is removed after it is realized it wasdecaying.
Aggregates’Demographics
A.Mis a seventy-year-old female suffering from dementia. Afterdiagnosis, her condition deteriorated to the extent that she could nolonger live in her home. It was then that her family enrolled her atthe BrowardNursing Rehabilitation Centre. The centre was large and unfamiliarwith her. The centre staffs encouraged her to participate in socialactivities, though sometimes she would resist. With time, A.M becomewithdrawn and isolated.
ConceptMap
Theconcept map will help improve the care plan, reduce dementia risk,improve access for the patients’ needs, and evaluate care outcomes.In addition, it will be used to mentor staffs, as well as promoteteamwork, and educate the public how to take care of dementiapatients.
Planof the Project
Financialand Political Implications
Dementiais a community issue (Stanhopeand Lancaster, 2012).Thus, the aim of this health promotion plan is to provide informationto the community, especially people taking care of dementia patients.Additionally, the project aims at educating the community aboutdementia, how to take care of dementia patients, and the importanceof its early diagnosis. Further, the project aims at reducingmortality rates and continuous hospitalization, decreasing healthcare cost, and promoting the lives of dementia patients and theircaregivers. For the case of A.M, the project seeks to improve hercondition and to advise her family on how to take good care of her.
Implementationand Evaluation of the Project
Implementationof the Project
Thepatient was enrolled at the Broward Nursing Rehabilitation Centre andplaced under a rehabilitative care plan. This ensured she remainedemotionally fit and free from any environment that would deter herhealth condition. In addition, all her other needs were well handled.She was assisted in good grooming, feeding, and toileting. Besides,she was encouraged to participate in social activities.
Evaluationof the Project
Indeed,this project has addressed its original problem. The patient, A.M wasassisted. She received rehabilitative care at Broward Nursing andRehabilitation Center, which greatly improved her health condition.Her appetite significantly improved after she took appetitestimulants. Also, her hemoglobin level improved after her decayedtooth was removed. Her family learnt a lot, especially on how to takecare of her. Further, the project has educated the public on how totake care of dementia patients. Seminars were also held to increaseawareness and understanding of dementia. The community was alsoprovided with relevant resources that teach about dementia.
Implicationsto Nursing Practice in the Local Community
Thisproject is likely to have a positive impact especially to the nurseswho take care of dementia patients in the local community. It willstrengthen their skills hence, they will serve their patients in abetter way. Additionally, it will enable nurses to translate theirhands-on experience to improve their skills in healthcare systems.Lastly, the project can influence nurses to develop and use theirskills to persuade the government to meet patients’ needs and thatof their families.
Implicationsto Nursing Practice and Global Health
Withoutdoubts, this project will have an impact to nurses around the worldand in global health. Firstly, it will raise awareness aboutdementia, as well as give statistics of people affected with dementiadisease. Secondly, it provides awareness and understanding on how toimprove the lives of dementia patients. Thirdly, it will encouragenurses to play their roles, especially on educating the members ofthe community on issues related to dementia.
Summary,Recommendations, and Conclusion
Alzheimeris the most popular type of dementia. Dementia is a medical conditionthat leads memory loss. Unfortunately, this condition is irreversibleand can be termed as a terminal illness. However, in some rare cases,the condition can be reversed upon early diagnosis. Therefore, it isessential to educate the public on the significance of earlydiagnosis and treatment, and the better ways to handle dementiapatients. This way, the lifestyle of the patients is likely toimprove hence, they can easily deal with daily challenges.
Itis unfortunate that elderly people suffering from dementia do notreceive appropriate treatment despite the availability ofpsychological and pharmacological interventions (NationalInstitute of Aging, 2013-2014).It is essential for health care providers and caregivers taking careof dementia patients to be aware that dementia is a real disorderrather than an aspect of aging that is amenable to intervention. Itis also important to destigmatize dementia and remove any significantbarrier to promote health condition of dementia patients.
References
Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention (2016) Alzheimer`s Disease.Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm
HealthyPeople gov (2014) Healthy People 2020. Alzheimer including dementiadisease. Retrieved fromhttp://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/dementias-including-alzheimers-disease
NationalInstitute of Aging (2013-2014) Alzheimer Disease Progress report.Supporting Infrastructure and Initiatives. Retrieved fromhttps://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/2013-2014-Alzheimer-disease-progress-report/supporting-infrastructure-and
Stanhope,M. & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public Health Nursing:Population-centered HealthCare in the Community (8thed.). St. Louis: Elsevier.