Six Ways Nurses Can Be Better Caregivers For Adults Throughout Their Lifespan

Published on: 22 April 2022 Last Updated on: 17 February 2025

Nurses are often the unsung heroes of the medical community. They are the caregivers who profoundly touch patients’ lives, providing comfort and healing during difficult times.

Nurses extend care to patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly. While each group presents unique challenges, there are some general ways nurses can be better caregivers for adults throughout their lifespan.

We can’t defy aging, but we can slow down its effects with a healthy lifestyle. Eating nutritious food, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep are critical for maintaining good health as we age.

Nurses can encourage their patients to make healthy choices and provide resources for making those choices easier.

Gerontology – An Overview:

The scientific study of aging that includes research on the physical, mental, and social changes that occur as we age is called gerontology.

As the population of older adults grows, nurses will play an increasingly important role in providing care for this population.

It is critical to train future nurses and nurse researchers in aging to best satisfy the needs of an aging population while also improving health among older individuals.

For this reason, healthcare facilities encourage R.N.s and BSN nurses to enroll in MSN program online programs and degrees to earn a master’s degree in gerontology. This additional education will allow nurses to provide the best possible care for their patients.

Challenges in Elderly Care:

The challenges of caring for elderly patients are numerous, but so are the rewards. A few challenges include:

Many elderly patients have chronic health conditions that require ongoing management.
Elderly patients are often more susceptible to falls and other accidents.
Cognitive decline is a common part of aging and can present challenges for both patients and caregivers.
Elderly patients don’t like to feel like a burden, so they may be reluctant to ask for help.

Despite these challenges, there are many ways nurses can be better caregivers for elderly patients. Let’s unfold some compelling ways nurses can improve the way elderly patients are cared for:

1. Understanding Their Requirements:

Aging is a phase of life that strips individuals of their physical strength and energy levels. As we age:

Our skin becomes thin and delicate, making it more susceptible to cuts and bruises
Our bones become brittle, and our joints ache more easily.
We may not be able to see or hear as well as we used to.
Our bodies don’t process medications the way they used to.

These changes can be challenging to adjust to, and the caregiver must be understanding and patient with the elderly.

That’s when nurses can enter and take over. With years of experience and unmatchable empathy, nurses are the perfect people to care for elderly patients.

They know how to handle them with care, how much medication to give and when, what food to serve, and how to keep them active without tiring them out.

2. Creating A Routine:

A routine is vital for everyone but especially for the elderly. It helps them know what to expect and gives their day some structure.

A routine can also be helpful for better caregivers, as it can make it easier to keep track of medications, meals, and activities. Nurses can work with patients and their families to create a personalized care plan that includes a daily routine.

Routine care plans should consider the patient’s abilities, interests, and preferences. They should also be flexible enough to accommodate changes in the patient’s condition.

For example, a generally healthy patient may need more help with activities of daily living after a hospital stay. Or a patient who is used to being active may need to scale back their activity level if they become weaker.

Nurses should also be aware of the signs that a routine is no longer working for a patient. If a patient becomes resistant to following the routine or if it starts to cause more stress than it relieves, it may be time to make some changes.

3. Involving Family and Friends:

Our emotions and feelings can be everywhere. When we are old, we need support from better caregivers and loved ones.

However, several sad circumstances testify that not all families are supportive. In some cases, family members may be too busy or live too far away to be involved in their elderly relative’s care.

Family dynamics may make it difficult for everyone to agree on a care plan.

When nurses are involved in the care of an elderly patient, they can help to facilitate communication between the patient and their family.

They can also provide support and resources to families struggling to cope with a loved one’s declining health.

4. Making Them Comfortable:

Many elderly patients in nursing homes or long-term care facilities are there because they can no longer live independently.

They may be unable to walk, dress, or take care of their personal needs. It is imperative that these patients feel comfortable and safe in their surroundings.

Nurses can help create a comfortable environment for their patients by paying attention to the little things.

Ensuring the room is cozy, providing soft bedding and pillows, and offering gentle massages can all help make an elderly patient feel comfortable.

Nurses can also help reduce anxiety and boredom by providing their patients with stimulating activities and exciting conversations.

In some cases, sitting with a patient and listening to their stories can be a great comfort.

5. Advocating for Their Needs:

As people age, they become more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Unfortunately, elder abuse is a problem that is often hidden from the public eye.

Elder abuse affects many Americans, with one in ten aged 60 and above have experienced it.

Some studies have suggested that more than 4 million adults are abused each year in the United States. According to one research, only one in 24 instances of abuse are reported to authorities.

What’s worse is that in 60% of the cases, it’s a family member that is the abuser.

Nurses can help protect their elderly patients by being aware of the signs of abuse and neglect. They can also advocate for their patient’s needs, working to ensure that they receive the best possible care.

6. The Scope:

We live longer today, but we are becoming increasingly prone to chronic diseases and disabilities as we age. According to current projections, approximately 80% of people aged 65 and older have at least one chronic illness.

Chronic illnesses often involve physical and emotional pain, functional limitations, and the requirement for long-term self-management of symptoms.

These conditions impact the quality of life of older adults and are also associated with considerable economic costs. It is because 75% of health care costs in the U.S. are due to chronic illness.

In a period of tightening budgets, we will be required to give excellent care to an ever-growing number of older people with several health issues and complicated healthcare demands.

Therefore, a career in geriatric nursing is not only personally rewarding but also essential to meeting the needs of our aging population.

And, if you’re wondering, there is a lot of scope for professional advancement in this field.

Ending Note:

Nurses play a vital role in the care of elderly patients. They often see their patients the most and are uniquely positioned to advocate for their needs.

If you’re considering a career in nursing, consider specializing in geriatric care. It is a rewarding field with a lot of scope for professional advancement.

Read Also:

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Smoking and Other Negative Lifestyle Habits You Need to Kick to the Curb This Year

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more cognizant of our mortality. Many people are starting to become more aware of the importance of healthy living. Smoking are responsible for up to 90% of all lung cancer diagnoses, as well as many other types of cancer. One of the most important steps towards a healthier lifestyle is identifying and breaking self-destructive habits. You almost certainly have at least one bad habit that is threatening your health and well-being. Your quality of life and life expectancy will drastically improve if you take the correct action. Here are some highly unhealthy habits that you should avoid at all costs. Smoking Tobacco Cigarettes are probably the least healthy mainstream habit in the United States. They are responsible for more preventable deaths than anything else. Although the prevalence of smoking has dropped drastically since the 1970s, 480,000 people still die of cigarette use every year. Cigarettes are responsible for up to 90% of all lung cancer diagnoses, as well as many other types of cancer. In addition to causing premature deaths, cigarettes also hurt your quality of life in numerous ways. They cause vision problems, depression, anxiety, impaired lung function, and many other serious issues. If you are a regular smoker, your number one priority should be to quit. This is the single biggest change in your life that will benefit your health. You can try using tobacco free dip to move away from cigarettes. Consuming Food Late In The Evening You might be tempted to have late-night snacks. There might be a number of reasons for this. Perhaps you didn’t get enough protein with your dinner. You might have eaten dinner too early in the evening, which leaves you feeling hungry an hour or two before bedtime. You might simply feel like snacking to alleviate anxiety. Regardless of the reason, eating snacks late at night creates multiple health risks. It is a precursor to weight gain because your body can’t process the food as efficiently as late at night. Late-night snacks also tend to disrupt your sleep patterns. You might have trouble falling asleep at all and struggle to reach deep REM sleep when you finally doze off. Eating Too Much Meat Hot dogs, hamburgers, and ham sandwiches are major staples in the western diet. Meat isn’t just tasty. It also is a rich source of protein. Unfortunately, many people consume meat excessively. You may develop a number of health problems if you eat too much of it, especially red meat. What health risks can it create? Regular consumption of processed and red meat increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and multiple types of cancer. A research team from the Harvard School of Public Health found that eating one serving of processed red meat every day increased the risk of death from cardiovascular disease or cancer by 20%. You don’t need to become a vegan. However, you should minimize your consumption of meat and reserve red meat for special occasions. Using Your Smartphone Too Often (Especially In The Evening) Smartphones are the newest addition that is taking over our lives. Unfortunately, they are so widely accepted that most people refuse to acknowledge the toll that they are taking on our health. Excessive smartphone use can be debilitating in a number of ways, such as: People that use smartphones regularly are more likely to suffer from back and neck problems. Every time that you look down to use your mobile device, you are putting around 60 pounds of pressure on your spine. You have a higher risk of developing vision problems. The light from your smartphone screen can cause long-term damage to your retina. Your eyes might also start to suffer from nearsightedness since you aren’t spending enough time looking out long distances. Your mobile devices might also disrupt your sleep patterns. If you are using them late at night, then you might be throwing off your circadian rhythms. You will have a harder time falling asleep and get less restorative REM sleep as well. You can’t be in denial about the problems that your smartphone is causing. You need to use it in moderation to prevent back, neck, and sleep problems. Read Also: Good Reasons to Stop Drinking in your 40’s

Some supplements you need to know right now

There are tons of supplements out there today, I would like to share some popular ones with you, the obesity I feel you need to know. For those who don't know what supplements are, they are a product that is meant to add a little bit to our diet, some can be taken in form of pills, capsules, tablet,s or oil. There are certain supplements you need to know right now to get a better dosage cycle. They are extracted from different sources of foods or nowadays purely synthetic, they usually contain necessary classes of food such as vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. Well, I’m sure you all learned that your 3rd grade and higher institution. First off, I understand some of us don't completely get the nutrients we need from our food, so we rely on these supplements to help fill the gap, left for me, I would say we should all depend on food to get all the nutrients we need, but hey! We need these still, I’m also guilty of this too, when you live in this busy world, you'll understand what I mean. Essential Supplements You Need To Know Right Now There are certain essential supplements that you must know at your end while you want to make use of the supplements for your better health. 1. PROBIOTIC Do you know your gut has over 400 types of probiotics, don't know what these are? Think of them as the good tiny bugs that help you digest food properly or good bacteria that help you fight bad bacteria there are also present in your - that sounds crazy, I know. That's not all, they also help you fight infections that surround your digestive tract and control inflammatory bowel disease. What can this do as a supplement? When it turned to a dietary supplement, they help you prevent diarrhea, cramps (no thanks to medications and antibiotics. Before you head for work, make sure you take one as you will be sure to get a healthy digestive system. There are other ways to get the supplements, some of which are yogurt, kefir, etc. When shopping for probiotics, there are certain things you need to always look out for, some of which include the strain of bacteria and the dosage. bacteria aren't one size fits all come on different bacteria manage different conditions, make sure you look out for that. 2. VITAMIN D3 One of the vitamins that are trending in the research industry today. As a kid, we were told to stay outside in the morning to enjoy the sun if your childhood was like mine comma this was why your parents told you told you to do so. The sun is one of the major sources of vitamin D, I’m not saying you should stay in the sun, only a little bit of exposure can give you vitamin D. Don't get it twisted, there are two types of vitamin D, one is gotten from fortified foods (known as vitamin D2) while the other is gotten from the sun or exposure to Ultraviolet light (vitamin D3). Vitamin D is known to regulate phosphorus and calcium in the body, according to the latest revelation, it is also responsible for I immediately the regulation of insulin in our body and our body. Both can also be converted to hydroxyvitamin D3, an active form in the blood. If you are at higher latitude and you're experiencing winter, there's no way you'll be able to get the d3 you need, so I advise you get it from eggs and sardines. 3.OMEGA 3 I have a thing for this supplement, I take it every time, one of the reasons why I do so is because I'm trying to boost my immune system, and OMEGA 3 can help me do just that, research also finds it beneficial for heart-related issues, inflammatory response and brain health too. There are claims that it can help boost our mood and fight depression, improve your sexual life and make you sleep better all of which is due to the fact that it serves as a building block for a healthy brain. Natural sources would be your Salmon, the dark leafy greens, walnuts and of course, fatty fish. I'm sure, one if not all of these are found in our everyday food, if no seems to be your answer, you can get it as supplements from a pharmaceutical company, they should also contain DHA and EPA, these are the two fatty acids that are responsible for keeping us fit and healthy every day. 4. CLA SAFFLOWER OIL The CLA Safflower oil pills are a form of dietary supplement, the formula is made up of mostly Safflower oil when used, it helps to increase the mass of one’s muscle and enhance your metabolic rate. Experts have deemed it to be the healthiest oil so far. There are two types of oil that are extracted from the Safflower, the first has a higher concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the other is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids. The oil is extracted from a plant known as Safflower. You could either take the oil by mouth to help fight diabetes, prevent heart-related diseases including the hardening of the heart. And for those in the fashion industry, they make use of this supplement to for hair growth. And for women who have menstrual issues, safflower oil can help treat that too. The main reason why I didn’t add it to the other supplement is that it is not fully recognized. Take for instance, in the United States, the Safflower Oil is not approved by their Food and Drug Administration, you will only find them in some FDA registered labs (that’s why I’m bold enough to add it to the list). To take it, you will need to consult your MD, since it can lead to some side effects that you might not know of. The best way to avoid these side effects is to take it by mouth or inject the oil emulsion (Liposyn) There are other supplements that are worth mentioning too: Multivitamin Protein powder Green Powder Read Also: A Little On The Side…Or Not? Your Guide To Supplemental Insurance What Are Virtual Reality Workouts And How Will They Affect Exercise?

Ways to Sleep Well at Night as You Age

You might realize that as you age, it’s not easy going to sleep anymore. Even if you try hard to sleep, it takes time, and it might be worse if you had sleeping problems even when you were young. Age will only compound the problem, but don’t blame everything on age, since your lifestyle might also have something to do with experiencing sleeping problems. Sleep Experts contributed a Sleep Habits Survey among different age groups to better understand sleep habits and their impact on everyday life. Try these tips to make it easy to fall asleep. Have a warm bath Before you hit the bed, take a warm bath since bathing in warm water will make you feel sleepy. If you soak your body in a tub for a while, your body temperature will drop, and it helps you easily fall asleep. It’s recommended that you do this an hour or more before bed, to give time for your body temperature to fall. Calm down before you sleep Regardless of the problems you might have faced during the day, you need to stay calm. Let go of everything that causes stress and read a book or listen to soothing music; try anything that helps you unwind. A significant reason why you might be having a hard time sleeping is that several things are still bothering you. Do not eat or work in your bed When you see your bed, you need to send a signal to your brain that it is time to sleep - the problem is when you eat or work in your bed. Train yourself to use the bed only for sleeping and if you try hard to sleep, but after 20 minutes you are still awake, get out of bed for a while. Wait until you start feeling tired before you go back to bed. Do not sleep in the afternoon It is easy for you to feel tired when you age. When you are exhausted, your first instinct is to find a place to sleep. Sometimes, it is easy to sleep in the afternoon because the environment seems conducive for sleeping.It’s okay to nap if you want to, as naps of only 30 or so minutes won’t bother your night’s sleep. Try not to nap too close to your normal bedtime, as these naps can affect your ability to fall asleep at night. Schedule your exercise well You need to exercise and hit the gym if possible. You do not need rigorous exercise to stay healthy; you can benefit from a moderate exercise like jogging and brisk walking. Make sure that your workout schedule is set for earlier than three hours before bedtime. Exercising keeps your heart rate up and makes it difficult for you to calm down, and sleep. Take supplements You need to select the right kind of food that will help you sleep well. If you cannot get all the nutrients you need from the food you eat, you can try food supplements. There are many different types available, so look for something that will meet your needs. For example, if you are aged 40 or over and hitting the gym regularly, then building muscle over 40 supplements will help you with your fitness goals and also help you fall asleep easily. See your doctor and ask which food supplement would be suitable for your needs. You need to be consistent in your intake to see results. With these tips, you can look forward to a better night’s sleep. It’s okay to start slowly and build up your new routine. Make gradual changes at first and build an exercise, nutrition and anti-stress program that contributes to restful sleep. Read Also: 3 Health Advantages Of Good Night’s Sleep Things To Do Before Bed For A Perfect Night’s Sleep Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Your Skin & Good Sleeping Habits

Six Ways Nurses Can Be Better Caregivers For Adults Throughout Their Lifespan

Gerontology – An Overview: