Adults With Multiple Health Issues, Capstone Project Example

Introduction

Conducting a health promotion educational program requires a comprehensive understanding of the issue under consideration and how it impacts the target population in different ways. This process is particularly significant when the target population involves adults over the age of 55, as their lives are affected by their experiences, including the prevalence of chronic disease. Educating older adults regarding chronic diseases such as diabetes must reflect a strategy that supports the most critical needs of this population and how they might be positively impacted by the intervention. It is important for the educators to have a sound and practical educational strategy in place in order to provide older adults with a positive understanding of the disease and how it impacts their health. This population faces a number of critical challenges that impact their health in many ways and require an examination of chronic disease as one of the primary concerns relative to wellbeing. It is important to develop an educational strategy that will target a condition such as diabetes and support greater prevention and/or management throughout the life span by using lifestyle changes and other tools to support improved quality of life for at-risk older adults.

Body

Preventing chronic disease must be a critical priority of any educational intervention to ensure that older adults are aware of the extent of their health risks and the priorities that enable this group to manage their health effectively (Bauer, Briss, Goodman, & Bowman, 2014). From this perspective, it is likely that those who receive education regarding their health concerns will gain additional insight into preventive measures that will govern their health and wellbeing in a positive manner and encourage potential changes in behavior to address possible health challenges. As a result, it is necessary for educators to be mindful of the issues that older adults may encounter with respect to their healthcare needs and how to address chronic diseases in a timely manner to prevent disease formation and complications (Goodman, 2013). It is imperative that older adults are provided with educational tools and resources that will address chronic disease, since this is a common factor in many health issues for this population.

The educational program must also support a growth in functional health literacy for the target population to ensure that their wellbeing is protected and mortality rates are limited (Bostock & Steptoe, 2012). Educators must recognize the importance of developing a dynamic that will promote greater health literacy and support an environment where health is considered to be a serious priority for this population (Bostock and Steptoe, 2012). It is important for educators to consider the priorities set forth by Healthy People 2020 (2015) regarding older adults in order to be successful in treating this group, as they often experience numerous health risks that impact their quality of life in different ways. When they experience poor health as a result of chronic disease, it is necessary to address these issues in a productive manner to minimize symptoms and complications and to be mindful of the needs of the population who is supported by the intervention by recognizing nutrition, diet, and physical activity as key parameters in their ability to prevent chronic disease (Coburn, Marcantonio, Lazansky, Keller, & Davis, 2012).

An educational program for older adults must also recognize the culture of this population group and what is required to support their education and learning at a high level to support their needs. A culturally appropriate curricular approach must be established in order to be successful in working with this group and in understanding their health challenges that are largely impacted by their experiences to date (Henderson, Kendall, & See, 2011). This approach requires an examination of the cultural preferences and identities of the group and what steps are required to ensure that they are protected from health risks as best as possible (Henderson et.al, 2011). This reflects an important set of discoveries regarding the ability of nurses to understand the plight of older adults and to recognize how to improve their health through the activities that are conducted and to support their needs across many areas. One area of consideration is the mental status older adults and the challenges that they face as they experience chronic diseases such as diabetes that may be related to their mental health and willingness to take care of themselves.

Older adults must be provided with culturally appropriate tools and resources that influence their decision-making in daily living and impact how they respond to treatment, including chronic diseases and mental health (Jiminez, Bartels, Cardenas, Dhaliwal, & Alegria, 2012). As a result, it is necessary to develop an understanding of the dynamics of educating this population and how they might best respond to an intervention, based upon their individual beliefs and preferences (Jiminez et.al, 2012). Older adults who struggle with chronic diseases such as diabetes may experience significant challenges that limit their healthcare choices and their desire to seek assistance when healthcare issues surface; therefore, they must obtain support and expert knowledge from healthcare professionals to address multimorbidities that include chronic diseases and may also be influenced by mental health status (Salive, 2013). These patterns reflect the importance of advancing knowledge and education that will support a practical care and treatment plan to prevent symptoms and complications by including therapy, diet, exercise, and other resources into daily living (Salive, 2013). These tools are likely to be useful for older adults and support their ability to recognize the impact of positive decision-making on health and wellbeing throughout the life span and to be mindful of their choices and how they influence their lives and the lives of their families.

Finally, it is important to develop a strategy that will encompass the ideals and expectations of older adults and provide them with a high level of support to meet their needs in a timely manner. In addition, an educational program may encompass modern technologies to support this population, such as website-based disease management and other tools (Stellefson et.al, 2013). This requires an examination of the resources that are available to support patient care and to be mindful of the tools that will have a positive impact on education for this group. Tools such as telemonitoring may be effective in supporting a positive level of communication with older and more tech-savvy adults on a continuous basis and will influence how they respond to care strategies and treatment plans to support health and wellbeing (Takahashi et.al, 2012). This process also reflects an opportunity to impact their health in other areas and to be mindful of their specific challenges and lifestyle needs, using these tools as primary preventive measures to better support disease management (Takahashi et.al, 2012). It is necessary to develop an educational platform upon which future ideals and expectations may be accommodated to support their emerging challenges throughout the life span.

Conclusion

Older adults possess unique physical and mental challenges that impact their health in many ways; therefore, an organized educational effort to promote improved health literacy requires an examination of the key tools and principles that will influence outcomes in a positive manner. It is necessary to develop a strategy that will engage older adults in addressing their own health concerns and in supporting their objectives to identify health problems, such as diabetes, and to treat these and other chronic conditions effectively. In addition, preventive tools must also be provided and must demonstrate a culturally responsible approach that aims in supporting the needs of older adults as best as possible.

References

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