Psychosocial Aspects of Patient Care: Working with the Adult

1
Psychosocial Aspects of Patient Care Working
with the Adult
2
Working with Adults in the Middle Years

• Primary relationships
• Parenting
• Parent care
• Political and other social activities
• The meaning of work

3
Stresses and Challenges of Midlife

• Primary relationships
• Parenting
• Parent care
• Work
• Myocardial infarct
• Alcoholism
• Unemployment
• Boredom
• Doubt

4
Working with the Older Adult

• Friendship
• Family
• Home

5
Challenges

• Self-image
• Physical changes
• Mental changes
• Mental impairment
• Value systems

6
Working with the Cognitively Impaired Older Person

• Read Case Purtilo Haddad, pp. 303-304

7
Decreasing Confusion or Disorientation

• Medications (although old people can be fragile)
• Do not support confused ideas (unless person
  becomes more confused,distressed or agitated)
• Be kind, and listen politely with interest
• Use gentle authority, not condescension
• Adapt goals to what they can understand and
  remember
• Treat each old person as an individual

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Questions for Thought and Discussion

• Cases 1 3, Purtilo Haddad, pp. 307 308.