Geriatric Care and Theories of Aging Flashcards

These vocabulary flashcards cover age-friendly care frameworks, cognitive assessment tools, medication safety, mobility risks, functional assessment scales, and biological and psychosocial theories of aging.

the four M's framework

A framework that guides age-friendly care for older adults consisting of What matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility.

What matters

A component of the four M's that focuses on the older adult’s goals, values, preferences, and desired health outcomes.

Medication (four M's)

The practice of using age-friendly medication, avoiding harm, and monitoring for side effects, drug interactions, and polypharmacy.

Mentation (four M's)

A focus on identifying, preventing, and managing conditions such as dementia, depression, and delirium.

Mobility (four M's)

The promotion of safe daily movement to prevent falls, functional decline, and muscle loss.

Mini Mental State exam (mmSE)

A tool used to assess orientation, memory, attention, language, and visuospatial skills, where a score of $30$ points or lower may indicate cognitive impairment.

Montreal Cognitive assesment (MOCA)

A sensitive assessment for cognitive impairment that tests executive function, attention, memory, language, and abstraction, where a score $> 26$ is considered normal.

Mini-Cog

A quick screening tool consisting of two components: three word recall and clock drawing testing.

Geratic Depressio Scale (GDS)

A tool used to screen for depression in older adults that utilizes yes/no questions and focuses on mood rather than physical symptoms.

polypharmacy

The clinical practice of taking $3$ or more medications, which increases risks for falls, confusion, hospitalization, and drug interactions.

Adverse Drug Events (ADE)

Harm caused by medication use, such as bleeding from anticoagulants, hypoglycemia from insulin, or sedation from benzodiazpines.

BEERS Criteria

A set of clinical guidelines used to identify medications that may be inappropriate for older adults to reduce ADE's and improve prescribing practices.

atelectasis

A condition involving a collapsed lung, which is a potential respiratory effect of immobility.

intrinsic fall risk factors

Internal factors contributing to fall risk, including weakness, poor balance, vision impairment, cognitive impairment, and medications.

extrinsic fall risk factors

External environmental factors contributing to fall risk, such as clutter, poor lighting, loose rugs, and improper footwear.

ADL's

Basic self-care tasks including bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, and feeding.

Katz index

A functional assessment tool that measures an individual's independence in performing ADLs.

Instrumental Activites of Daily Living (IADLs)

Tasks necessary for independent living, such as managing medications, shopping, cooking, transportation, housekeeping, managing finances, and telephone use.

Lawtons IADL Score

A measurement of one's ability to perform IADLs used to determine independence, safety, and placement needs.

FANCAPES

A holistic assessment framework covering Fluids, Aeration, Nutrition, Communication, Activity, Pain, Elimination, and Socialization.

SPICES

A rapid screening tool for geriatric syndromes: Sleep disorders, Problems with eating, Incontinence, Confusion, Evidence of falls, and Skin break down.

free radical theory

A biological theory of aging where cells are damaged over time by unstable radicals, leading to oxidative stress.

telomere theory

A theory suggesting that telomeres shorten with each cell division, eventually causing cells to stop dividing and age.

Mitochondrial dysfunction theory

A theory stating that mitochondria become less efficient, leading to lower energy production and increased cellular damage.

Chronic Inflammation (Inflammation aging)

Low-level persistent inflammation throughout life that accelerates aging and contributes to chronic disease.

active theory

A psychosocial theory suggesting people age successfully when they remain active and socially engaged.

continuity theory

The theory that older adults maintain previous habits, roles, and responsibilities, such as a retired teacher who continues to tutor.

disengagement theory

A theory of aging that involves a gradual social withdrawal from community activities.

gerotranscendence

A developmental shift from material concerns towards meaning, reflection, wisdom, and increased spirituality.

role theory

A theory stating that the loss or gain of roles, such as retirement or becoming a grandparent, affects how an individual adjusts to aging.

executive function

A cognitive-functional domain involving the ability to plan, organize, make decisions, and problem solve.

Orientation

The cognitive awareness of person, place, time, and situation.