Obtaining an Older Patient’s Medical History
You may want to get a detailed life and medical history as an ongoing part of your office visits, and other health care professionals in the office or at home may assist in gathering the information.
General suggestions
When obtaining the medical history of older patients, you may need to be more flexible, and if possible, try to gather preliminary data before the session. Use active listening skills and be willing to depart from the standard interview structure. Allowing your patient to express concerns can be therapeutic and build trust.
Elicit current concerns
Older patients have a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because they have multiple chronic conditions and may have vague complaints or atypical presentations. Learn more about how to protect older adults and those at a higher risk.
Ask questions
“Is there anything else?” is a good question to ask at the start of the visit to get all of the patient’s concerns out on the table. If there are too many concerns to address in one visit, work with the patient to address some now and some later.
Discuss medications with your older patient
Patients should bring a list of all their medications, as well as how much and how often they take each medicine, because side effects, interactions, and misuse of medications can cause major complications in older people. Because older people often take multiple medications prescribed by several different doctors, suggest that patients bring a list of all their medications, as well as how much and how frequently they take each medicine.
How do you treat an elderly patient?
A list of suggestions is provided below to assist you in achieving this goal.
- Allow extra time for older patients.
- Avoid distractions.
- Sit face to face.
- Make eye contact.
- Listen.
- Speak slowly, clearly, and loudly.
- Use short, simple words and sentences.
How do you nurse an elderly person?
10 Tips for Nurses on How to Communicate Effectively with Elderly Patients
- Tip 1: Use Positive Body Language.
- Tip 2: Be Patient.
- Tip 3: Be Respectful.
- Tip 4: Practice Active Listening.
- Tip 5: Establish Rapport.
- Tip 6: Demonstrate Sincerity.
- Tip 7: Recognize Sensory Challenges.
- Tip 8: Ensure Comfort.
What might you do differently when obtaining a history from an older patient?
This page contains the following information:
- Ask questions.
- Discuss medications with your older patients.
- Gather information by asking about family history.
- Ask about functional status.
- Consider a patient’s life and social history.
How do you provide and support care to the elderly?
Hearing loss in the elderly
- Before you give them important information, put your hand on their shoulder or say their name to get their attention.
- Reduce background noise. Turn off the music or television.
- Speak clearly.
- Speak loudly.
- Repeat yourself.
- Have good lighting.
At what age is a patient considered geriatric?
Geriatrics refers to medical care for older adults, a group that is difficult to define precisely. The term “older” is preferred over “elderly,” but both are imprecise; the age of 65 is commonly used, but most people do not require geriatrics expertise until they are 70, 75, or even 80 years old.
What kind of nurse takes care of the elderly?
A geriatric nurse, also known as a gerontological nurse, is a type of nurse who assists in the care of the elderly and aging. Nurses who work in senior care perform traditional nursing duties and have special skills to better understand the special needs of many older adults.
What are the role of nurses in elderly care?
Geriatric nurses are trained to understand and treat the often complex physical and mental health needs of the elderly, with the goal of assisting their patients in protecting their health and coping with changes in mental and physical abilities so that they can remain as independent and active as possible.
What does elderly care focus on?
Elderly care focuses on the social and personal needs of senior citizens who want to age gracefully while still requiring assistance with daily activities and healthcare.
What is the 10 minute geriatric screener?
The 10-minute Targeted Geriatric Assessment (10-TaGA) is a CGA-based tool that uses the cumulative deficit model to screen for geriatric syndromes and estimate patients’ global impairment.
Which of the following is the most common cause of sepsis in older patients?
Any infection, from the flu to an infected bug bite, can cause sepsis, but the most common infections that cause sepsis in older people are respiratory infections like pneumonia or genitourinary infections like a urinary tract infection (UTI).
When caring for an elderly patient who is hearing impaired you should?
How to Communicate with a Senior Who Is Hard of Hearing
- Get Their Attention. Before speaking, respectfully get the senior’s attention.
- Reduce Background Noise.
- Speak One at a Time.
- Speak Clearly and Loudly.
- Repeat Yourself.
- Appearances and Visual Cues Matter.
What is the leading cause of death for older adults?
Chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease account for roughly three-quarters of all deaths in people aged 65 and up, with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease replacing acute infections as the leading causes of death during the twentieth century.
Why is communication important with the elderly?
Effective communication with elders can help us avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and stress. It can also help us maintain a positive attitude and foster good interpersonal relationships.
How can the elderly improve healthcare?
Observations and suggestions
- Develop New Approaches To Care Delivery.
- Allocate Resources To Palliative And End-Of-Life Care.
- Redesign Long-Term Services And Supports.
- Create An Adequately Prepared Workforce.
- Strengthen The Role Of Public Health.
- Remediate Disparities And Inequities.
- Create An Adequately Prepared Workforce.