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WHY
Normal aging brings about inevitable and irreversible changes. These normal aging changes are partially responsible for the increased risk of developing health-related problems within the elderly population. Prevalent problems experienced by older adults include: sleep disorders, problems with eating or feeding, incontinence, confusion, evidence of falls, and skin breakdown. Familiarity with these commonlyoccurring disorders helps the nurse prevent unnecessary iatrogenesis and promote optimal function of the aging patient. Flagging conditions for further assessment will allow the nurse to implement preventative and therapeutic interventions.
BEST TOOL
The most appropriate instrument for obtaining the information necessary to prevent health alterations is SPICES developed by Terry Fulmer, RN, PhD, FAAN at New York University, Division of Nursing. SPICES is an acronym for the common syndromes of the elderly requiring nursing intervention:
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