Geriatric Stereotyping Submission

Thankfully there are a lot of charities involved in helping senior members of society. Although

several of them are directed to the research of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s (Alzheimer’s

Research UK, 2021) they serve the purpose of helping those who are healthy but lonely or

need help with care.

Age UK (Age UK, n.d.) for example provides a range of services including help with small

home repairs, phone and face to face friendship programmes, physical exercises groups and

social activities in their day centers which in turn function as a hub. Physical exercise is

crucial in making sure the person retains their abilities and independence. (Mayer et al,

2011).

In addition they also carry IT training which can be very crucial and empowering for older

generations as it allows them to feel part of society and connect with people of same and

different ages. (Age UK, n.d.).

Individuals can help older people by becoming frailty or dementia champions or even charity

ambassadors and therefore having access to educational material to share with those

around them in order to create an informed environment that is both safe and empowering

for older people.

In the hospital there are a series of tools in the arsenal that allows provision of high standard

patient-centered care that is inclusive for everyone. An example is using flowsheets and

documentation on the electronic charting system. This, in collaboration with communication

techniques, allows staff to keep track of the nutrition and hydration of patients and intervene

when the need arises. An example would be in the case of patients with incontinence who

often stop drinking in order to avoid episodes of incontinence. (NHS, 2019).

Incontinence issues can be quite demoralizing and often patients find that they “feel like a

burden” not only to the staff but also to their family or carers ( Age UK.). To avoid this, we
make sure all patients have an appropriate toileting system. For example we encourage

those who can walk to the toilet to have regular trips whilst also providing incontinence pads

and bottles and for those who struggle with their mobilities we can help with a Conveen or in

more extreme cases a catheter. Through the use of these tools as well as our training we

know how to help patients understand why it is important for their recovery to drink enough

fluids and eat accordingly.

Another tool that we are granted to aid us in providing the right care is the mental capacity

act (Mental Capacity Act, 2005). This Act is for everyone but it is especially empowering for

groups of people who tend to be stereotyped as dependent or likely to have cognitive

impairments. For example older people often get treated as if they all have Alzeihmer’s

disease although this is certainly not the case with only 7% of people aged 65 - 80 and 16%

aged above 80 suffering from Alzeimher’s (NHS, 2021). This Act and the assessment of

mental capacity allows people to maintain their independence and freedom to make their

own choices and choose how they want to be cared for.

Similarly often older patients get treated as they all have poor mobility, which again, is more

often than not a misconception. This makes it that at times the staff or carers do everything

for the patients and in turn decreases their independence as we know it is a lot easier for

muscles to lose their function in advanced age also partly due to sarcopenia (DerSarkissian,

C., 2020) . As well as an accurate and thorough handover, patients' passports or ‘this is me’

booklets help us know more about our patients, what are their likes and dislikes, what they

can and cannot do and how they want to be cared for.

Regular visits and referrals from specialists and allied health professionals, such as

dieticians, physiotherapists and timely completion of assessments help us make sure we are

always providing the right care based on the needs of the patient.

References

Age UK, n.d. Information and advice. [online] Age UK. Available at:
<https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/>

Age UK, n.d. Older people 'feel a burden' to society. [online] Age UK. Available at:

<https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-news/archive/older-people-feel-a-burden-to-society/>

Alzheimer’s Research UK, 2021. The UK's Leading Alzheimer's Research Charity. [online]

Alzheimer's Research UK. Available at: <https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/>

DerSarkissian, C., 2020. Sarcopenia (Muscle Loss With Aging): Symptoms, Causes, and

Treatments. [online] WebMD. Available at:

<https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/sarcopenia-with-aging>

Mayer, F., Scharhag-Rosenberger, F., Carlsohn, A., Cassel, M., Müller, S. and Scharhag, J.,

2011. The Intensity and Effects of Strength Training in the Elderly. Deutsches Aerzteblatt

Online

Mental Capacity Act, 2005. Available at:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/9/contents

NHS, 2019 [online] NHS Choices. Available at:

<https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/urinary-incontinence/10-ways-to-stop-leaks/>

NHS Choices, NHS Available at:

<https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alzheimers-disease/>