關注高齡者之身心變化

Concerning about the Physiological and Psychological Characteristics of an Aging Population

隨著預期壽命的延長，未來虛弱老人或老老人族群有增加之勢，醫療照護需求亦相對幅度的成長，爾今，老年人已成為世界人口持續增加的主要族群，並成為護理的主要照護對象。老化對生理的影響因人而異，受到化學或物理環境、疾病、生活型態及遺傳等內外在因素影響；影響老年人心理健康因素則包含生理狀況、社會人際關係和生活壓力事件，實證顯示，具有老人照護知識和技能的護理人員，對於老人所呈現的臨床問題能做正確的判斷與辨別病理老化過程，及提供良好的照護品質。故瞭解正常老化身心特質改變過程，方能進行周全性之評估，提供因人適事的實用照護措施，使老年人祥和渡過松鶴之年。

Due to the prolonged life expectancy, the number of frail elderly or very old adults has increased. Thehealth care needs of the elderly population are enormous. Nurses need to have sufficient gerontologicalnursing care knowledge and skills tomake sound judgments about clinical problems, identify pathological agingprocess, provide better quality of care, and achieve cost-effective outcomes. The impact of physiologicalaging process is influenced by chemical, physical environment, diseases, life style, and genetics. The factorsinfluencing the mental health of elders include physical health status, social relationship, and stress from lifeevents. The most commonly reported mental health problems include anxiety, sadness, depression, and suicide.Through an understanding of normal aging changes in physical and mental health aspects, nurses would be ableto conduct a thorough assessment, provide individual care, promote quality of care, and enhance quality of lifefor the elderly.