As we get older, our sensory system gradually loses clarity. Because our brain needs minimal input to maintain warnings and functions, the sensory loss of the elderly is at risk of sensory deprivation. Severe sensory disorders such as vision and hearing can result in behavior similar to dementia and psychosis, such as increased confusion and confusion. The limitation that this risk increases such as being trapped in the bed and Geri chair has been added. People who are deprived of their senses have repeated action problems (cry, cast, rhythmical beats / tremors) as an attempt to reduce poverty and create internal stimuli without showing any time or environmental changes, May rely on / sense.
This article discusses the remarkable sensory change accompanying aging and discusses a series of three articles that take into account the necessary behavioral adjustments or adjustments to be made by specialists exchanging with the elderly, adjuvant therapy specialists, and family carers It is the third. Medical conditions are not deeply reconsidered, but the purpose of this article is to introduce behavioral health insurance, principles and many of the approaches that affect our care. In this article, we will explain age-related taste, smell, change in tactile sensation, related themes, expressiveness of the face.
I. Taste and smell
A. Changes in taste and smell due to aging:
1. It is less involved in interpersonal communication, the quality of life declines, contributing to depression and indifference.
2. The reduction in taste sensitivity associated with aging is exacerbated by smoking, chewing tobacco, and poor oral care. As a result, you may complain about unpleasant anorexia or loss of appetite, and sometimes stop eating food.
3. When aged, the sensation of smell decreases and the ability to distinguish odors decreases. Also, people with low odor are more tolerant to unpleasant odors, which can be exacerbated by smoking, some drugs, and certain diseases.
B. Influence of taste and smell changes on decreased age:
Individuals suffering from Alzheimer's disease lose more olfaction than non-demented individuals due to changes in recognition threshold. This is because there is a limitation of odor that enterprises are limited in age because there is concentration of entanglement and plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease seen in the olfactory area of the brain of this disease patient.
2. Injuries of the ability to distinguish flavors in foods for people with dementia reduce the joy of the meal and cause the desire to be lost. Recommendation: You can minimize the risk of malnutrition and dehydration, pay attention to the importance and attention of eating, raise awareness.
3. If the taste and aroma are compromised, it may be impossible to sense the risk of gas leaks, smoke, etc. obviously obstructing the necessary measures for safety. Also, the problem of taste may cause people to use foods that are too eaten or rotten to increase the risk of food poisoning. Recommendation: Use a smoke detector, regularly clean the refrigerator and check the table drawer.
II. Touch
A. Changes in contact feeling due to aging:
Touch sensation includes perception of pressure, vibration, temperature, pain, body position in the universe, and localization of touch. A part of this contact feeling decreases with the aging, but it affects 50% or less of elderly people.
2. The most noticeable change occurs in the legs, and as the body moves, the change is less pronounced. Decrease in sensation perception of the foot increases the risk of falling and getting stuck on the object. Changes in hand sensitivity often lead to object falling.
3. Contact feeling is most damaged among all senses of the elderly, and it has the least influence by overlapping years, so it can be an important means of communication regardless of whether or not it draws attention. Let the person know that you will help and guide that person in the activity.
4. Touch is therapeutic as elderly people may touch. At medical facilities and facilities such as nursing care facilities, opportunities for contact and physical contact may be further reduced. Recommendation: Please make appropriate contact with the elderly, arouse attention with confidence, confirm communication, and take special measures to further improve safety and security.
III. Official expression
1. Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease
Diseases, Parkinson's disease, and other types of dementia result in reduced facial expression. This makes it difficult to identify the emotional reactions and expressions seen by those without such obstacles.
2. Since we depend heavily on nonverbal communication and facial expression, it is difficult to understand what the other person is listening to and understand the contents of communication. This will make communication less fun with people who do not show emotional reactions like smiling, laughing, looking up, or shrugging your shoulders, reducing your reward.
Recommendation: Avoid communication with this person even if there is no facial expression. If your emotional response does not appear, please do not get angry. Disappointment and refusal of carers contributes only to the indifference and contribution to withdrawal.
Principles of CAREGIVERS
The following principals apply to elderly care-taking approaches with reduced sensory functions. Improving sensitivity and insight to the needs of these individuals will lead to better quality of life and improved effectiveness.
1. Observe your actions and look for clues and signs of pain and discomfort.
2. Helps to work through the emotional influence of sensory change enabling expression, acceptance and support of sadness and sadness accompanying these losses.
3. Please do not try to resolve discomfort. Acceptance and support will take longer to reach a healing rather than a quick fix or a skeptical attitude.
Reduce excessive obstacles by maximizing the remaining functions, such as proper glasses prescriptions and functional hearing aids.
5. Consider auxiliary equipment (telephone amplifier, large textbook, headphones, Braille institute of various useful visual aids).
6. Remember that you need contact during stress, illness, loneliness and depression.
7. Visual impairment is especially important when contacting visually impaired, hearing impaired, or cognitive disabled.
8. I frequently use the touch, but only to the extent that person is accustomed to it.
9. Do not hang a putt on the head or tap a cheek. This can be regarded as convincing.
Normal senescence, together with it, results in a general loss of sensory function. To minimize emotional, behavioral, and attitudinal influences, caregivers should develop careers with insights and approaches to consider special needs for the elderly, and to make more uncomfortable and dissatisfied situations Carefully, caregivers can have a positive impact on the management of these losses because they can integrate behavioral principles in providing elderly people and healthcare.
Copyright 2008 Concept Healthcare, LLC
