Aging Adult Case Study
Tiffanie McLeod
Aspen University
Health Assessment
Instructor
September 1 2022
BMI
The client’s BMI is 34.2 kg/m2. According to the client’s age, height and gender, she is obese.
Screening tools
The tool I would use is the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). According to Spatola et al., (2019), SGA is premised on two aspects. These are medical history of the patient as well as physical examination. Medical history is predicated on changes in the diet of the individual as well as any gastrointestinal changes. Physical examination on the other hand is premised on aspects such as ankle edema and loss of subcutaneous fat (Spatola et al., 2019). The rationale for using this tool is because it is an indicator of whether or not the nutritional requirements of an individual are being met. As such, it enables healthcare professionals determine whether or not nutrition levels have an impact on the current health conditions of an individual.
Another tool that can be used is the Exercise Assessment and Screening for You (EASY). This tool was developed specifically to enable the elderly population and their healthcare professionals to identify safe and effective physical activity that will boost their health and eliminate various health conditions. The goal of the EASY tool is to ensure that older adults are free from some diseases and disabilities that can be caused by poor diets. One of the benefits of the EASY tool is that it can be applied online without the presence of a health care provider.
Outcome
Significant but healthy weight reduction.
Reasonable, Measurable and Realistic Outcome
The client should be capable of losing 1-2 pounds within a week, and this should be the rate of weight loss for 4 weeks.
Intervention for Outcome
Ensure that the patient engages in consistent aerobic activity, 30 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening. The activities include walking cycling and swimming. These activities should be conducted for seven consecutive days.
Rationale
Aerobic exercises are the perfect and most effective way of weight reduction. According to Obert et al., (2017), aerobic activities help burn more than 450 calories as well as increase muscular endurance. These aerobic exercises will also reduce fatigue and injury on the patient because they can be carried out for extensive periods of time. In addition, since the client has a higher weight, she will lose much more weight faster than a person with a normal weight.
Weaknesses
One factor that may affect the client’s ability to have better activity is her age. As one ages, they encounter reduced coordination, reduced muscle mass as well as joint flexibility (Bangsbo et al., 2019). As a result, physical activity may become impaired and painful for the individual. For the client in this case, she may be unable to engage in gainful physical activity because of these factors. She may find that being physically active is slow and even painful. Her weight may also be a contributor to her declining physical activity. She may have attempted to engage in physical activities but ends up finding it strenuous and exhausting.
Another weakness can be her solitude. The patient lives alone and may lack the requisite motivation to engage in gainful physical activity. Some people usually need a little push so that they can develop the urge to exercise for the benefit of their bodies.
Referrals and Rationale
I would refer the client to a nutritionist. The nutritionist would educate the client on the best practices associated with proper nutrition as well as good food behavior. The nutritionist would as well advise the patient on foods with the best nutrients feasible for her age, and those that would help her reduce her weight to a more healthy and sustainable level.
A geriatrician would also be another suitable referral. A geriatrician has additional training on how to handle the ageing population. The geriatrician would work to ensure that the client has knowledge of all the healthy practices which will facilitate better health and wellbeing.
References
Bangsbo, J., Blackwell, J., Boraxbekk, C. J., Caserotti, P., Dela, F., Evans, A. B., Jespersen, A. P., Gliemann, L., Kramer, A. F., Lundbye-Jensen, J., Mortensen, E. L., Lassen, A. J., Gow, A. J., Harridge, S., Hellsten, Y., Kjaer, M., Kujala, U. M., Rhodes, R. E., Pike, E., Skinner, T., … Viña, J. (2019). Copenhagen Consensus statement 2019: physical activity and ageing. British journal of sports medicine, 53(14), 856–858. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-100451
Obert, J., Pearlman, M., Obert, L., & Chapin, S. (2017). Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques. Current gastroenterology reports, 19(12), 61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-017-0603-8
Spatola, L., Finazzi, S., Calvetta, A., Angelini, C., & Badalamenti, S. (2019). Subjective Global Assessment-Dialysis Malnutrition Score and arteriovenous fistula outcome: A comparison with Charlson Comorbidity Index. The journal of vascular access, 20(1), 70–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1129729818779550