The U.S. population is getting older. Older people tend to have multiple chronic illnesses and have limited ability to participate in activities in their community. These issues: quality of life and medical costs are of great concern for public health.
As part of your work, you are collaborating with the local health department to provide blood pressure screenings in an elderly public housing complex in an urban community. Upon your arrival, one of the public health nurses asks you to visit with one of the residents and provide some advice and counsel on how you might help.
Mrs. Foster is an 82 year old who lost her husband to heart disease about 3 months ago. She has moved into this apartment complex from her home across town, which was sold. She appears depressed, has lost weight according to the public health nurse, and seems to be a little short of breath. She is sitting alone at the end of the room watching other residents talking to the nurse and other volunteers.
Write a 3-page paper in which you:
Identify least three physical changes of aging and the potential risks they present. Include in-text citations to identify the sources of this information.
Identify the aspects of a cultural assessment you would complete with Mrs. Foster (consider aging, values, disparities, ethnicity, literacy, food, etc.)
Describe the health care professional’s interventions from a primary, secondary and tertiary level of prevention illustrating your interventions as a public health professional
Describe approaches to maximizing health in old age
Include a minimum of three references.
