NCM 114 – CARE OF THE

OLDER PERSON
Gerontology And Geriatric Nursing

DESCRIPTION

Competencies in gerontology and geriatric

nursing impacts on safe and quality care for
the aging person.
This course deals with the knowledge,
skills and attitude development towards
good practices in the specialized care of
the aging.
Learning Objectives

► Describe the ageing population in the Philippines in terms of:

- Situation of older people
- Statistics in the Phillippines population of older people
Discuss the Philippine government policies related to older people
Describe the characteristics of older population
Terminologies

► Gerontology is the broad term used to define the study of

aging and/or the aged. This includes the biopsychosocial
aspects of aging.
- The study of old age, the process of aging and the particular
problems of old people
► Geriatrics – the branch of medicine that deals with the
problems and diseases of old age and the medical care and
treatment of old people
► Gerontological nursing, the specialty of nursing pertaining
to older persons
Characteristics of an older
person population
► Older persons are generally defined as individuals aged 65
years and older.
► Older persons can now be categorized as follows
- Young – old = 65 to 74 years old
- Old = 75 to 84 years old
- Oldest – old = 85 years old and above
Characteristics of an older
person population
► The profile , interests and health care challenges of each older persons
can be vastly different
► In addition to chronological age, FUNCTIONAL AGE Is a term
used to describe physical, psychological and social function relevant
on how older adults feel and function may be indicative of their needs
than their chronological age.
► PERCEIVED AGE – a term used to describe how people estimate a
persons age based on appearance .
► How people feel or perceive their own age is described as AGE
IDENTITY
Characteristics of an older
person population
► On MARITAL STATUS AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
– women have higher survival rates
- Women usually marries men older than themselves than men
- More than half of women older than 65 years old are widowed
- Married people have lower mortality rate than do unmarried people at all
ages
- Most older persons live in a household with a spouse or other family
members
Characteristics of an older
person population
► On income and employment , poverty remains to be the greatest
obstacle to a secured old age
► On HEALTH STATUS = the older population experience acute
illness than younger age groups.
= CHRONIC ILLNESS is a major problem for the older population
 Human Aging and
Implications to Health and
Social Services
Common Questions ?

► Why do we age?

► When do we start aging?

► What is the aging marker?

Senescence- time when age associated
deficits are manifested
Aging as a developmental
process
► Aging is, in fact, a natural developmental process for human beings .
► “How do we know we are aging and when does this start?”
► Our chronological age may not matter as much as the experience of
reaching milestones which could be “sweet sixteen,” twenty one or “the
big 50.”
► Once a person passes the milestone, he or she adapts and continues with
life until the next aging milestone
 Aging as a developmental
process
► Aging can be positive or negative at any age, but the author proposes that it becomes
more fearful when individuals are getting early signs (physical and mental) of aging
that they may notice and worry about.
► Family history plays into these fears and individual perspectives. This would mean
that the younger aging individuals (60-65) would be more likely to reflect on aging in
a serious and careful way than those who are older than 65.
► Aging would be a new experience for them with unknown possibilities, both positive
and negative.
► Older individuals can have both positive and negative views of aging but one would
assume that they have made more of an adaptation to aging so it is less likely to
trigger alarm.
► Lastly, if aging is a developmental process, it proposes that individuals, both in the
younger and older aging groups, would still be grateful for the life that they have
regardless of whether their aging experience has been mostly positive or negative
 Bata bata paano ka tumanda
?
“Growing old means completing the
cycle of life.”
 When does Human Aging
Begin?
► “Everyone of us started to age
before we were
born and we continue to do so
throughout
our entire life course.” (WHO 1999)

► “To grow old is to pass from

passion to
► “No wise man ever wished to be
younger.”
(J. Swift, 18th English poet, writer, clergyman)

► “First you forget names, then the

faces, then forget to pull your zipper
up or down.”
(Leo Rosenberg, 1920’s radio announcer)

► “Age does not matter if the matter

does not age.” (Gen Carlos P. Romulo, in his
retirement speech before the UN)
Comparative/Global Data
Currently, six countries contain more than half of the world’s oldest old
population (80 years & over)
China - 12 million
USA - 9 million
India - 6 million
Japan - 5 million
Germany - 3 million
Russia - 3 million
 Is the Philippines an
aging country?
 Filipino Older Persons:
Demographic Profile
1. Majority or 2/3 of the Filipino elderly are
married.
2. The married status is more common among
men than women.
3. Average educational attainment is elementary
education.
4. Most of the Filipino older persons work for a
living especially the married ones
> rural men - farming
> urban females - sales or commerce
Filipino Older Persons:
Demographic Profile
5. The most active on the job are those with excellent
health.

6. Only 2.6% of older persons live alone

7. Older women are active in household tasks.

8. Leisure activity mostly is religious; listening to radios,

viewing television, reading newspapers.
Health Status of Filipino Older Persons
1. Disability (%)
- Impaired hearing (30.1)
- Blind (10.0)
- Unable to walk (3.4)
- Difficulty in walking (0.7)
- Others (53.5) (illness, fractures,amputation)
2. Health Consultation/Services Needed (%)
Dental services (54.9)
Urinary Incontinence (5.2)
Memory Disorders (0.5)
Geriatric Screening (0.3)
Depression/Affective Illness (0.1)
Health Status of Filipino Older Persons

4. With health insurance (%)

- Yes (7.5)
- No (92.5)
Health Status of Filipino older persons
Total No. of Death Rate per % of Old People
Rank Causes of Mortality Deaths 100,000 Old from the Total
People Death in the
Population
1 Cardiovascular Diseases (all 71,874 1,547,35 66.13
forms)
2 Pneumonia 21,069 453.69 64.56

3 Malignant Neoplasms (all forms) 17,898 385.32 49.15

4 Tuberculosis 14,081 303.14 51.10

5 COPD (all forms) 11,208 242,58 70.85

6 Diabetes Mellitus 5,587 120.28 51.99

7 GI Disorders (all forms) 5,280 76.73 56.24

8 Accidents & other injuries 3,927 85.51 12.28

9 Nephrotic Syndrome (all forms) 3,774 81.25 47.39

10 Septicemia 1,795 38.64 44.20

Situation of Older people in the
Philippines
► Number of older people is growing as reported by the NSO.
► Elderly people are expected to comprise 7.7 % of total population in
2025.
► Life expectancy for both sexes is 68.5 years old
► Total Philippine population as of 2022 - 115,559,009
► Older people need care and support
► Older people suffers from both degenerative and communicable
diseases due to aging of the bod’s immune system
Situation of Older people in the
Philippines
► The leading cause of morbidity are infections
► Common health related problems are visual impairment,
difficulty in walking , chewing, hearing, osteoporosis,
arthritis and incontinence
► Older people struggle with poverty
► More than half of older people are unemployed
► Majority of the employment of older person are farming,
forestry work and fishing
Philippine Government Policies Related
to older People

► Republic Act No. 344 – ACCESSIBILITY LAW OF 1982 =

provides for minimum requirements and standards to make buildings,
facilities and utilities for public use accessible to persons with disability
including older persons
► Republic Act No. 7876 = AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SENIOR
CITIZENS CENTER IN ALL CITIES = provides for establishment
of senior citizens Centers to cater to older persons socialization and
interaction needs as well as to serve as a venue for the conduct of other
meaningful activities
Philippine Government Policies
Related to older People

► Republic Act No. 8425 = provides for the

institutionalization and enhancement of the social reform
agenda by creating the “ National Anti- Poverty
Commission ‘ (NAPC).
► Republic Act. No. 10155 , known as “ The General
Appropriations Act of 2012 = under section 28 mandates
that all government agencies and instrumentalities should
allocate one percent of their total agency budget to
programs and projects for older persons and persons with
disabilities.
Philippine Government Policies
Related to older People

► Republic Act No. 9994 , known as “EXPANDED

SENIORS CITIZEN ACT OF 2010 = an act granting
additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens ,
further amending RA No. 7432 and other wise known as
an act to maximize the contribution of senior citizens to
nation building, nation building , grant benefits and
special privileges and for other purposes.
Presidential Proclamations and
Executive Orders
► Presidential Proclamation No. 470 series of 1994 = declaring the
first week of October of every year as “ Elderly Filipino Week”
► Presidential Proclamation No. 1048 Series of 1999 = declaring a
national observance in the Philippines of the “ International Year of
Older Persons “
► Executive Order No. 105 series of 2003 = approved and directed the
implementation of the program providing for group homes or foster
homes for neglected, abandoned , abused , detached and poor older
persons and persons with disabilities
Presidential Proclamations and
Executive Orders
► The Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens = It aims to
ensure giving priority to community based approaches. It also aims to
ensure active aging for senior citizens where preventive and
promotive aspects of health are emphasized in communities and
where health services are accessible, affordable, and available at all
times.
Presidential Proclamations and
Executive Orders
► HEALTH AND CARE
= DSWD – issued an Administrative Order no. 4 series of 2010 “
Guidelines on the Home Care Support Services for senior citizens ,
establishing community based health care services for older persons.
= RA 9994 provides health care services for poor older persons such
as free medical services on government hospitals , discounted services
on private hospitals and clinics , free vaccines , discounted medicines
and Mandatory Philhealth coverage
Presidential Proclamations and
Executive Orders
► OLDER PERSON’S ASSOCIATIONS (OPAs) = the Philippine
constitution supports the formation of community based organizations
facilitated by the DSWD
► SOCIAL PENSIONS = Under the RA 9994 , the Philippine
government provides a social pension of Php 500 per month to poor
older persons aged 77 and above and who are not receiving any
government and private pension.
► SENIOR CITIZENS = a 60 year old and above resident of the
Philippines have privileges which entitled them a grant of twenty
percent discount from all establishments relative to the utilization of
transpo, hotels, restaurant and recreation centers , admission on theater
and purchase of medicine. Free medical and dental services in
government establishment.
Impact of Aging Members in
the Family
► Emotional effect
► Financial effects
► Structural effects
► Physical effects
 Impact of Aging Members in
the Family
1. Emotional Effects
Caring for aging parents prompts a range of impulses and emotions.
Positive –
- enrichment that comes with relationships between grandparents and grandchildren
- increased opportunity to pass on stories and knowledge to younger generations
- younger generations having a sense of being able to give back to parents and
grandparents," resulting in a "greater connection" between family members.
Negative –
= Guilt for not being able to do more for parents
= anger for having to set aside your own needs or shift your priorities
= fear and anxiety, including anticipatory grief and fear of financial strain."
 Impact of Aging Members in
the Family
2. Financial effects
= Caring for aging parents often means extra costs
related to home health care, medical expenses not
covered by insurance and extra insurance premiums for
services such as long-term care. You also may need to
take off extra time from work.
 Impact of Aging Members in
the Family
3. Structural Effects
= When living with aging parents or assume a high
amount of daily care for them, you experience a
change in your family roles.
= a shift in family structure and hierarchy related to
[the] matriarch or patriarch no longer being in their
role." When this occurs, "someone new has to take
their place.“
 Impact of Aging Members in
the Family
4. Physical Effects
= Prioritizing parents' care can ease their pain and worry, but might impact the caregivers’
health.
= Some of the physical effects of caregiving for aging parents.
1. The time and effort of keeping up with parents' care means one may visit your doctors less,
resulting in undiagnosed problems or conditions getting worse.
2. Caregiving for a parent with dementia can cause chronic stress and illness.
3. Time pressure might result in caregivers and their children skipping exercise and eating
more convenience foods, which contribute to poor fitness and weight gain.
4. Mild depression to severe and chronic depression can inflict caregivers, which can cause
premature aging and shorten their life span.
 Conclusion
Enhancing quality of social support through the
collaboration of formal and informal support
networks of government agencies, NGOs, the
communities & families to carry out interventions
that focus on meeting individual needs and
enhancing quality of life of older persons.

Our senior citizens should take center stage in

setting the direction for healthy aging.
Their voices should be heard;
Their choices must be respected fully.