GERIA CHAPTER 11

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Created by
Samantha Villarte

Cards (56)

  • Self-perception and self-concept

    The attitudes and perceptions people have about themselves, their abilities, and their self-worth
  • Self-identity

    Formed by comparing ourselves and our experiences with some ideal, either internal or external
  • Self-esteem

    • People with good self-worth and high self-esteem have strong personal values, believe they can control their lives, have had positive life experiences, and have received positive feedback from others
    • People with poor self-worth and low self-esteem have weak personal values and think they have little control over their lives
  • Six ways older adults can improve self-esteem by taking control
    1. Take control of your attitude
    2. Take control of your health
    3. Take control of your appearance
    4. Take control of your time
    5. Take control of your social life and relationships
    6. Take interest in both old and new activities
  • Factors that impact whether older adults will be successful in accomplishing ego integrity versus despair
    • Attitudes toward aging
    • Level of self-esteem throughout life
    • Extent of physical change caused by aging and illness
    • Presence or absence of emotional support systems
    • Ability to maintain a degree of control
  • Depression

    More common in the aging population than often suspected or recognized, may be related to loss of independence, loss of loved ones, or increased medical problems
  • Assessment for depression

    1. Stopping normal routines
    2. Neglected self-care
    3. Unwillingness to talk
    4. Agitation
    5. Irritability
    6. Suspiciousness or unjustified fears
    7. Mood swings
    8. Isolation and withdrawal
    9. Unexplained injuries
    10. Verbalization of worthlessness
    11. Verbalization of suicidal thoughts
    12. Increased use of alcohol
  • Older adults have a higher rate of successful suicides than do other age groups, and tend to use more violent methods to end their lives
  • Seniors are less likely to communicate their intentions, although statements regarding helplessness or hopelessness, sudden interest in firearms, sudden revision of a will, or verbalization about suicide should never be ignored
  • Disturbed self-perception and self-concept

    When an older adult has a poor self-concept, fear and anxiety increases, self-esteem plummets, leading to feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness, which lead to depression and isolation
  • Fear

    A feeling of dread or apprehension regarding an identified source, closely related to anxiety, common fears of older adults include change, crime, loss of loved ones, disease, injury, loss of independence, financial destitution, loneliness, pain and suffering
  • Hopelessness

    A subjective state in which people feel unable to solve problems or establish goals, leading to self-destructive behaviors
  • Social isolation, serious depression, and a history of self-destructive behaviors increase the risk for suicide in older adults, as do life events like loss of a loved one, uncontrollable pain, and major life changes
  • Assessing for signs of depression that might lead to suicide

    1. Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
    2. Unexplained fatigue
    3. Apathy or loss of interest in life
    4. Trouble concentrating or indecisiveness
    5. Social withdrawal
    6. Loss of interest in normal activities or hobbies
    7. Loss of interest in personal appearance
    8. Crying for no apparent reason
    9. Giving away treasured possessions
    10. Talking about death or suicide
    11. Increased consumption of alcohol or drugs
    12. Failure to follow through with prescribed medication or diet
    13. Purchase of a weapon
  • Self-perception and self-concept

    The attitudes and perceptions people have about themselves, their abilities, and their self-worth
  • Self-identity

    Formed by comparing ourselves and our experiences with some ideal, either internal or external
  • Self-esteem

    • People with good self-worth and high self-esteem have strong personal values, believe they can control their lives, have had positive life experiences, and have received positive feedback from others
    • People with poor self-worth and low self-esteem have weak personal values and think they have little control over their lives
  • The attitudes and perceptions people have about themselves, their abilities, and their self-worth make up what is often called self-identity.
  • Six ways older adults can improve self-esteem by taking control
    1. Take control of your attitude
    2. Take control of your health
    3. Take control of your appearance
    4. Take control of your time
    5. Take control of your social life and relationships
    6. Take interest in both old and new activities
  • Factors that impact whether older adults will be successful in accomplishing ego integrity versus despair
    • Attitudes toward aging
    • Level of self-esteem throughout life
    • Extent of physical change caused by aging and illness
    • Presence or absence of emotional support systems
    • Ability to maintain a degree of control
  • People with poor self-worth and low self-esteem tend to have weak personal values and think they have little control over their lives.
  • Depression

    More common in the aging population than often suspected or recognized, may be related to loss of independence, loss of loved ones, or increased medical problems
  • Assessment for depression

    1. Stopping normal routines
    2. Neglected self-care
    3. Unwillingness to talk
    4. Agitation
    5. Irritability
    6. Suspiciousness or unjustified fears
    7. Mood swings
    8. Isolation and withdrawal
    9. Unexplained injuries
    10. Verbalization of worthlessness
    11. Verbalization of suicidal thoughts
    12. Increased use of alcohol
  • Six Ways Older Adults Can Improve Self-Esteem by Taking Control:
    ✓Take control of your attitude. Health is not the best measure of successful aging, attitude is. A positive attitude is the starting point to taking control of other areas of life.
    ✓Take control of your health. See your primary care provider and dentist regularly.
    ✓Take control of your appearance
    ✓Take control of your time.
    ✓Take control of your social life and relationships.
    ✓Take interest in both old and new activities.
  • Older adults have a higher rate of successful suicides than do other age groups, and tend to use more violent methods to end their lives
  • Depression is more difficult to recognize because typical indicators may be similar to those seen with a variety of medical disorders. For example, weight changes, changes in sleep patterns, decreased energy, and changes in psychomotor activity are not only signs of depression, but also signs of numerous other medical problems
  • Seniors are less likely to communicate their intentions, although statements regarding helplessness or hopelessness, sudden interest in firearms, sudden revision of a will, or verbalization about suicide should never be ignored
  • Some changes that warrant further investigation include the following: DEPRESSION
    ❑Stopping normal routines
    ❑Neglected self-care
    ❑Unwillingness to talk
    ❑Agitation
  • Disturbed self-perception and self-concept

    When an older adult has a poor self-concept, fear and anxiety increases, self-esteem plummets, leading to feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness, which lead to depression and isolation
  • Assessment for Depression
    ❑Irritability
    ❑Suspiciousness or unjustified fears
    ❑Mood swings
    ❑Isolation and withdrawal
  • Fear

    A feeling of dread or apprehension regarding an identified source, closely related to anxiety, more obvious as functional abilities decrease
  • Assessment for Depression
    ❑Unexplained injuries
    ❑Verbalization of worthlessness
    ❑Verbalization of suicidal thoughts
    ❑Increased use of alcohol
  • Most common fears of older adults
    • Fears of change and disruption
    • Crime and victimization
    • Loss of loved ones
    • Disease
    • Injury
    • Loss of independence
    • Financial destitution
    • Loneliness
    • Pain and suffering
  • Hopelessness

    A subjective state in which people feel unable to solve problems or establish goals, leading to self-destructive behaviors
  • Social isolation, serious depression, and a history of self-destructive behaviors increase the risk for suicide in older adults, as do life events like loss of a loved one, uncontrollable pain, and major life changes
  • SUICIDE AND AGING:
    Older adults have a higher rate of successful suicides than do other age groups. They tend to use more violent methods to end their lives.
    o Firearms (71%)
    o Overdose
    o Suffocation
  • Family members and health care professionals can help by being aware of warning signs and risk factors. Seniors are less likely to communicate their intentions, although statements regarding helplessness or hopelessness, sudden interest in firearms, sudden revision of a will, or verbalization about suicide should never be ignored.
  • Signs of depression that might lead to suicide

    • Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
    • Unexplained fatigue
    • Apathy or loss of interest in life
    • Trouble concentrating or indecisiveness
    • Social withdrawal
    • Loss of interest in normal activities or hobbies
    • Loss of interest in personal appearance
    • Crying for no apparent reason
    • Giving away treasured possessions
    • Talking about death or suicide
    • Increased consumption of alcohol or drugs
    • Failure to follow through with prescribed medication or diet
    • Purchase of a weapon
  • When an older adult has a poor self-concept, fear and anxiety increases.
  • As control over one’s life decreases, selfesteem plummets even lower, and older adults fall victim to feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness, which lead to depression.