Geriatric Care

Geriatric Care
The physical and psychosocial changes in the elderly predispose them to various safety issues. Therefore, the implementation of measures to ensure safety for a hospitalized elder is crucial. First, the elderly face the risk of falls. Falls cause fatal and nonfatal injuries among the elderly. Furthermore, falls cause negative psychological effects such as anxiety and depression which affect the individual’s quality of life. Measures to prevent falls are crucial to preventing the decline in the physical and mental functioning of the elderly (Sinclair, Morley & Vellas, 2012). The other safety issue is adverse drug events. These events occur due to several factors. First, the elderly have a reduced ability to metabolize various drugs due to the declined liver and renal functions. Therefore, the nurse should take care when administering medication to treat multiple illnesses. The other cause of adverse drug events in the elderly is cognitive decline, which hinders the individual’s ability to self-administer medication. The nurse should implement measures to prevent medication errors and overdose.
An elderly patient with traumatic brain injury exhibits several signs and symptoms. These are the vestibular disequilibrium, cognitive impairment, headaches, psychiatric disturbances, sleep-wake cycle impairment and vision and hearing problems (Filer & Harris, 2015). The most prevalent aspects of cognitive impairment due to TBI are attention disturbance, memory problems and impaired executive functioning. Vestibular disequilibrium following a TBI manifests through increased dizziness and loss of balance and coordination. The damage to the vestibular system hinders the communication of crucial information to the cerebellum, which controls posture and balance (Tsao, 2012). Some of the prevalent psychiatric disturbances following a TBI include anxiety, depression, hyperactivity and psychotic disorders. The signs of sleep problems in persons with TBI include insomnia, increased awakening at night and daytime sleepiness.