Myths about Aging

stsdoc · Aug 18, 2004

Hello. I am a senior in nursing school and taking a Gerontology course. As part of the course, we are all required to present a presentation on some topic among geriatric patients. The topic that I ended up with is Myths and Misconcetions of the Older Client. I was wondering if some of you who work with geriatric clients might have some ideas as to where to go with this presentation. It has to last 20 minutes.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

I am just a 2nd year med student, but in a lecture on Geriatrics, we learned that it is a common misconception that older people are not as sexually active as younger people. This results in less questioning and advising on sexual issues by physicians and nurses, and STD's are becoming much more common in elderly populations. I don't know if this is what you had in mind, but I think it's sort of interesting.

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 18, 2004

I agree- the myth that older people don't have sex. Or that all older people have memory loss, or have trouble hearing.

opalmRN · Aug 19, 2004

Hello. I am a senior in nursing school and taking a Gerontology course. As part of the course, we are all required to present a presentation on some topic among geriatric patients. The topic that I ended up with is Myths and Misconcetions of the Older Client. I was wondering if some of you who work with geriatric clients might have some ideas as to where to go with this presentation. It has to last 20 minutes.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

If you still have your developmental Psy book, you might check in there for ideas. Our couse devoted an entire module on this very subject. Also give google a shot.

Good luck

Mister Chris, MSN, NP · Aug 19, 2004

Hello. I am a senior in nursing school and taking a Gerontology course. As part of the course, we are all required to present a presentation on some topic among geriatric patients. The topic that I ended up with is Myths and Misconcetions of the Older Client. I was wondering if some of you who work with geriatric clients might have some ideas as to where to go with this presentation. It has to last 20 minutes.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

I covered some research on that subject and ended up giving a short couple of lectures. The main theme being sex in the elderly. I based the whole thing on the continued 'normal' sexuality of the elderly couples - married and defacto and also 'new' singles. The main problem nearly always comming from the close relatives of the newly 'widowed' single. Total disbelief that anything sexual could not exist after about 35, 40 or even 45 years of age!

What I found was a trend, (for want of a better word) and in one case (of many) was where the daughter of an elderly Gent (who's wife had died about 3 years before), had tried to get her dad admitted to a psychiatric unit for assessment as he had aquired a lady friend. She (the daughter) summonned her local doctor and a social worker, who contacted the psychiatric assessment team and almost got away with getting the poor fellow committed against his will under a section of the health act, to our local psychiatric hospital! His lady friend was only 11years younger than him and had lost her husband about 10 or more years before. The actual problem really came about because the daughter walked in on her fathers home unannounced when he and his lady were having an intimate time together.

There were no money worries in the family, both the Dad and his lady friend were of independent incomes.

I found through the local nursing network that there had been several similar cases of relatives attempting to 'commit' their family elders, because they were 'living a bit'!

More understanding on the sexuality of the elderly I feel is needed, so go for it and pass on the word. There are many lonely old people in the world who would love nothing more thn to have someone to hug, hold their hand and just be around to talk to and possibly hold close (and little else) at night when they reach their lonliest times. To be old is to be at risk to boring lonely days and even more lonely nights - and our numbers are increasing.

I am over sixty and have a wonderful lady friend! I still nurse part time and I still enjoy the pleasures that the youngsters of today consider to be only for their age groups. We do not have any hang-ups or chances of accidental pregnancies. Time is even more precious for the older person than the young think!

Wow! Did I write all that.

A closing quote: "I might not be as good as I was once, but I am good once as I ever was!"

Mr.C :kiss :wink2:

purplemania, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2004

Another myth is that the elder have increased tolerance of pain. NOT TRUE. Since pain management is a JCAHO safety goal it might be a relevant subject. You could include the paradoxical effects of medications and risk of over/underdoing narcotics with the elderly.