Adult Healthcare Issues
Question One
Opioids use for the management of pain has been known for a long time. Today, millions of Americans are treated with opioids, especially among the elderly, despite the risks it presents (Gazelka et al., 2020). Importantly, as the country continues to combat the opioid epidemic, its use among various subgroups of providers’ population and practices has come under scrutiny. Continued prescription and use cause physiologic and psychological dependence and other notable health risks. One of the most common reasons for prescriptions is chronic pain for geriatric patients. Yet, medical developments have provided an option for nonopioid options, but most of the elderly patients have comorbidities for other medications or cannot afford the alternatives. Hence, some precautions and procedures govern opioid prescription for the elderly.
Firstly, the specific dose limits for long-term treatments must be followed. Primary caregivers must utilize appropriate screening, selection, and monitoring of patients (Gazelka et al., 2020). For short-term users, the lowest should be prescribed, for the shortest time possible. Secondly, care givers should consider nonopioid treatments such as Acetaminophen, Chiropractic and Physical therapy (Gazelka et al., 2020). Third, ensure that patients are educated and sign the consent form explaining the risk-benefit ration of opioid use. Last, a detailed analysis of the patients’ comorbidities is necessary to determine how the addition of opioid prescription will affect them.
Question Two
Health care providers are obliged to offer adequate care for the elderly. Some of the approaches include adopting a robust patient-centered approach to offering care, understanding the complexity of their health needs and improving integration with other programs within the health care. Caring necessitates a multifaceted approach involving an active collaboration between different stakeholders. Importantly, understanding their special health needs augments patient care.
References
Gazelka, H. M., Leal, J. C., Lapid, M. I., & Rummans, T. A. (2020, April). Opioids in Older Adults: Indications, Prescribing, Complications, and Alternative Therapies for Primary Care. In Mayo Clinic Proceedings (Vol. 95, No. 4, pp. 793-800). Elsevier.