Q:
These items represent the broader physical, psychosocial and environmental issues your Aunt and Uncle are experiencing. Which are you most concerned about?
Transportation
Your Aunt and Uncle are no longer able to drive. They have been trying to navigate with public transportation by using the bus but that is getting continually more difficult with more limited mobility. This limits their ability to follow up with medical and dental professionals.
Financing
Your Aunt and Uncle have overdue bills. Sometimes an older adult’s cognitive functioning can really limit their ability to pay their bills on their own. They clearly need some assistance and monitoring.
Diet
There are several issues going on with your Aunt and Uncle’s diet. Drinking regular juice can negatively impact blood sugar control. Consistently eating high sodium, high fat food from McDonald’s is not the most nutritious option. It may raise blood pressure and cholesterol. Problems with taste can have a big impact on an older person's life. Loss of taste can cause us to eat too much sugar or salt to make our food taste better. This can be a problem for people with such illnesses as diabetes or high blood pressure. Texture is also an issue for your Aunt and Uncle. Whole fruit may be difficult for them to chew and prepare due to loss of manual dexterity.
Socialization
Your Aunt and Uncle are having more difficulty getting out of their home.
this may lead to a lack of socialization. “Socialization plays a large role in maintaining quality of life as one ages. Research has shown that those older adults, who have strong social networks, seem to have a higher quality of life, live longer and are healthier compared to those with little social support (Glass, Mendes de Leon, Marottolie & Berkman, 1999). Also, studies have shown that strong social support seems to protect against cognitive decline and self-reported disability (Mendes de Leon, Glass, & Berkman, 2003). The “use-it or lose it” theory seems to be true—social engagement may stimulate multiple body systems including the cognitive, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular systems.
Mobility
Your Aunt and Uncle are using a walker for mobility. This makes it more difficult to prepare and transport food as well as perform oral hygiene.
