Ageism and Racism Faced By Older People in Health and Social Care Essay

Ageism and Racism Faced By Older People in Health and Social Care Sector in UK - Essay Example This discussion stresses that age implies various social and moral obligations that resulted from accumulated loads of cultural and ideological inputs. Many expectations on an individual are determined by age as well as those which they are denied of. This perception has huge implications on how heath care is delivered to the older portion of the population. Age play a significant factor on what kind of health care is given and denied to a patient.This paper outlines that  while ageing opens doors to some social experiences that may not be available to younger individuals, it also closes doors on others. There are also new expectations towards the individual as his age identities change through time. We are familiar with the stereotypes of age identities from where we distinguish individuals.   Age-based identities have been explored and recognized by various social sciences but there is still a dearth of knowledge on how age contributes to social identity. There is still more to know about the variety of identities based on age and on how these identities are used in the wide social and cultural norms of ageing. There is a need to theorize the processes complicated social processes and experiences involved in the transition from one age identity to the other. This knowledge is important to research but is also important to understanding how health care is provided, or should be provided, to older people.

Promoting good nutrition in patient with dementia Research Paper

Promoting good nutrition in patient with dementia - Research Paper Example Based on the causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause, but secondary causes also have a role to play. This includes secondary brain conditions and injury to the brain substance secondary to trauma. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain condition affecting memory and cognitive brain functions, and is the commonest form of dementia in people over the age of 65. Vascular dementia results from cerebrovascular or cardiovascular problems which often result in strokes. Minor but important causes of dementia include HIV diseases, Huntington’s disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Dementia is a condition whose principal prevalence is in old people over 65 years, but children and middle aged adults may suffer from dementia. Trauma, brain tumours, heart conditions, lung conditions, poisoning and some terminal infections may lead to dementia in this group. Some inherited disorders like glycogen storage diseases and mitochondrial abnormalities are specific for children, causing dementia. Whatever age group affected, dementia is a serious condition that leads to progressive memory loss and degenerative cognitive functions. Treatment will never reverse or stop the condition, but instead the treatment reduces the symptoms, thereby slowing down the disease progression. Apart from symptom alleviation, adequate rest, nutrition and hydration are very important as they reduce morbidity and mortality. In terminal dementia, the patients are unable to cater for themselves completely which calls for the input of the caregiver in providing optimal nutrition and in the correct proportion. In dementia, there is degenerative brain loss due to loss of neurons. Dementia is associated with malnutrition due to the feeding difficulties in people who suffer from the condition. Impaired cognitive functions lead to a deficit in the short-term memory making the patient forget simple tasks like feeding. The patient may also become easily distracted, thereby