HEALTH PROMOTION AND HEALTH MAINTENANCE

Health assessment of older adults can be done on several levels, ranging from simple screening to complex, in depth-evaluations, To perform assessment accurately, nurses and other health care providers who gather information regarding older aults must possess the necesary knowledge and skill to perform the assessment correctly.
Health screening are done to identify older individuals who are in need of further, more in-depth assessment. For example, screening for hypertension, hearing problems...
Health assessments includes the collection of all of the important health-related data using a variety of techniques. Data are all the information a nurse gathers about a person. Objetive data include information that can be gathered using the senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell.

The prevention is a part of health education and it is our work. The health education is essential to prevent some diseases like hypertension, dislipemia.... For this reason we have to explain our patient the importance of following our advices.

 

In elederly, prevention is too much important to avoid geriatric syndromes. Other point that I want highlight is the atypical presentation of illnes, for this reason , health assessments and health sreening have more importance  . I want to describe some atypical presentation of illness like:

• infectious disease: presentation like absence of fever, confusion, decreased appetite or fluid intake...
• "silent" acute abdomen: presentation like mild abdominal disconfort, constipation...
• "silent"cardiac problems: presentation like no complain of chest pain, decreased functional status...

I woul speak about an article that I found to describe the importance of heath screening.The article deal with about a study that has made in Mexico to highlight the importance of health screening to prevent aging depression. The conclusion of the study shows the role of the actions to prevent the diagnostic of depressionin elderly.

I attach one article that I found very interesting because it shows how through mental exercise, establishing a suitable diet, encourage the practice of moderate activity...we could improve the quality of life of aging population.

Bibliography:

Aguilar. S.G; Fuentes-Cantú.A; Ávila-Funes.J.A;García-Mayo. E.J.Validity and reliability of the screening questionnarie of geriatric depression used in the Mexican Health and age study.  Agosto 2007. Salud pública Méx vol.49 n.4. Cuernavaca

Zhang SC, Tao FB, Ueda A, Wei CN, Fang J. The influence of health-promoting lifestyles on the quality of life of retired workers in a medium-sized city of Northeastern China. Environ Health Prev Med. 2013 May 23.Pubmed PMID: 23700274.