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Health Care Professionals

Understanding and addressing the unique needs of older adult patients and their families is gaining attention as America’s Baby Boomers are turning 65 years of age and older. Older adults are vulnerable to biological, psycho-social, and environmental safety risks that compromise dignity, well-being and health. To support professionals who work with older adults and their families, we share the following resources:

• Gerontology Conference
• Gero Gems - Insight for Health Care Professionals
• Health Education Information
• NGNA Slides and References (10/20/07 presentation)
• ASA/NCOA Slides* (03-29-08 presentation)
• Elder Abuse Slides* (06-03-08 presentation)

Gero Gems - Insight for Health Care Professionals

To receive a FREE copy of our monthly Gero Gems publication, complete the form below. (Your e-mail address will not be shared or sold. The information you provide will only be used by the College of Nursing for sending subscribers a once a month e-mail.)

YES, please send me the monthly e-mail with the latest edition of Gero Gems.

• Sign up now to receive the July edition.
  Summer Heat Safety (7/08 edition)
  During the summer months, excessive heat is dangerous and poses safety and health risks to older people due to the body's compromised ability to adjust to the climate. Being familiar with risk factors, questions to help assess risk and encouraging people to take precautionary measures may help save lives.

Past Editions

• Mental Health - Part 5: Elder Abuse & Neglect (5/08 edition)
  As a result of biological, psycho-social, and environmental factors, older adults are vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, neglect and a myriad of other safety risks. Enhancing awareness of the problem, challenges, legal/ethical responsibilities, and providing resources for assistance is a key toward prevention and protection.
• Mental Health - Part 4: Dementia (4/08 edition)
  Contrary to popular opinion, most people live cognitively healthy lives well into old age. Being alert and watching for signs of cognitive and functional decline can help identify dementia in its early stages and get people the treatment they need.
• Mental Health - Part 3: Substance Abuse & Misuse (3/08 edition)
  Substance abuse disorders experienced by older adults are considered a “hidden epidemic”. Regardless of whether alcohol is used as a remedy for loneliness, to self-medicate, or to cope with pain, abuse is dangerous.
• Mental Health - Part 2: Anxiety Disorder (2/08 edition)
  The complexity of aging and the many changes and challenges involved provides fertile ground for anxiety disorders to flourish. Unidentified or untreated anxiety disorders in older people are a threat to overall wellbeing and adversely affect quality of life.
• Mental Health - Part 1: Clinical Depression (1/08 edition)
  It is critical to the health and dignity of older adults that professionals be aware and act in identifying older adults experiencing mental health disorders. Doing so will help people get the treatment they need and prevent further deterioration.
• The Miracle of Immunization (12/07 edition)
  With all the seasonal festivities and the bright holiday colors, it is important that we don't overlook the Holiday Blues. As health professional we need to pay special attention to the emotional state of older adults during this time of year.
• Health Literacy (11/07 edition)
  Did you know that low health literacy is a problem affecting an estimated 90 million Americans? This month we address the topic and share resources to help health professionals assess for health literacy level.
• The Miracle of Immunization (10/07 edition)
  Immunization for disease prevention is one of the scientific miracles available today to prevent illness or reduce its complications. Promoting healthy behaviors for older people and all of us includes educating, motivating and providing immunization as needed.
• Tobacco Taboo (09/07 edition)
  While many older adults have successfully quit smoking, one in eight seniors continue to smoke. Health professionals can play an important role assisting older people to overcome ageist attitudes about change and tobacco use cessation.
• Nutritional Health Screening and Promotion (08/07 edition)
  Promoting nutritional health with older adults is critical, as there are clear associations between eating a healthy diet and well-being. We must address issues including oral health, dentition, digestion, absorption, and medication interactions that may affect food intake and lead to a poor diet or malnutrition.
• Professionals as Health Protectors (07/07 edition)
  Safety becomes increasingly important as we age because of natural changes that make us more vulnerable to injury. Proactive planning by health care professionals to protect health, and address fall risks and safety problems stemming from medications can significantly reduce the risk of injury.
• Healthy Decisions, Healthy Actions (06/07 edition)
  Functionality disabilities attributed to the aging process often result from unhealthy decisions and behaviors (e.g. smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle). As professionals in health care who work with older people, we have the responsibility to promote healthy decisions.
• Celebrating Older Americans (05/07 edition)
  A healthier future for older Americans is within reach. The State of Aging and Health in America (2007) report issued by the CDC indicates progress in some, but not all, target areas. We summarize select initiatives and share links to helpful information.
• Ethnogeriatrics (04/07 edition)
  Everyone is influenced by our individual culture, ethnicity, history, values, and beliefs. We offer insight on how ethnicity affects how we age and why health care professionals must be culturally sensitive.
• Attitude is Everything (03/07 edition)
  While much has been written about the concept of “successful aging,” there is not a single universally accepted definition. We share information that suggests “success” is in the eye of the beholder.
• Benefits & Gifts of Aging (02/07 edition)
  Though each stage of life presents challenges and opportunities, the benefits of aging are rarely explored and seldom appreciated. We share benefits that come only from years of experience
• Aging - Denial & Fear (01/07 edition)
  Negative perceptions of older adults and the aging process adversely affect care. We offer ideas to challenge attitudes and influence perceptions of aging.
• What you don't know may harm them! (12/06 edition)
  Professionals who work with older adults need to be "in the know" about realities of aging. We share truths about aging and suggest a couple of helpful resources.
• Aging in the U.S. and Ohio (11/06 edition)
  The growth of population segments representing adults age 60+ is increasingly important to educators, practitioners, and researchers in health care. We share statistics that summarize the affects of aging on the health care system.

In addition to Gero Gems and other information available on our website, we encourage health care professionals to bookmark the following website: www.GeroNurseOnline.org. A service of the John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing, the site offers a wide range of helpful resources for health care professionals serving older adults and their families.

Health Education Information  

Health care professionals have a responsibility to share the right information with the right people at the right time. While that may sound simple, we know that the education process is quite complex. Patient teaching and health education are complicated by a number of factors including:

• Acceptance - determining when people are ready, willing and able to receive and comprehend information.
• Content - being sensitive to know what information to provide (breadth & depth); however, not overwhelming people with too much.
• Literacy - communicating with people in a way that respects the inability for many to read or understand complex health information.
• Role - distinguishing between the responsibility of physicians, nurses, social workers and others in providing information.

Health information must address patient needs and interests, and be offered in multiple modalities to reflect preferred learning styles. Having spoken with and observed patients and families on the neuroscience and cardiovascular units at a large metropolitan hospital in Cincinnati, it became apparent that the type of information and direction people need at different stages of the health care process varies. A model that is emerging from our research focuses on health information, as opposed to health behavior or learning theory. The health information model helps professionals in health care and associated fields quickly identify the type of information needs a person is likely to have at each stage of the health care process.

Health Information Model

For more information on our model we invite you to download our paper entitled: An emerging model for patient/family education: Supporting the assessment and intervention process*.

At the Center for Aging with Dignity, our focus is on sharing general and directional information and interventions supporting life changing and life threatening health care concerns commonly associated with aging and chronic illness. While education alone does not necessarily lead to behavior change and healthy actions, change is not likely to occur without education or experience. In addition, knowing that the use of written information improves patients’ retention of information, our programs/interventions are always supported by written literature.

* PDF format