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Growing old presents certain challenges. As you age, you are likely to get health problems such as dementia, hearing loss, and neck and back pains, just to mention a few. Thankfully, you can solve these problems by visiting a Tacoma adult gerontology nurse practitioner. You can also take preventive measures by still seeing one.
You may wonder why it is necessary to visit one. To understand why you should consult one, we will outline some of their roles. After understanding their duties, you may immediately see the specialist. Without further ado, here are their roles below.
They Treat Diseases That Come With Aging
These specialists handle every disease that aging brings. Some of the diseases that they treat include dementia, diabetes, urinary incontinence, and so on. As they treat the illnesses, they also address the psychological, social, and cultural aspects of aging. These aspects help the specialists determine the root cause of their disease, which helps them come up with a care plan.
They Provide Emotional Support
Patients and their loved ones need a way of coping with the reality of the condition affecting the former. At this point, both parties will be anxious because they do not know whether or not the disease will become worse. In case death occurs, the loved ones may not know how to process their emotions. Thankfully, the expert doubles as a counselor and will give counsel accordingly. Therefore, they will not be as emotionally distant as other doctors since they will be empathetic.
They Provide Preventive Care
Preventive care is important since it is expensive for patients to get treatment. The specialists offer the service by carrying out and interpreting diagnostic tests. After that, they come up with individual care plans according to the patient’s needs. Additionally, they educate patients on how to manage their health by taking proper medication and diets and exercising. It is not uncommon for older people to give up on these things, but they can still live a normal life by trying them out.
They Educate Caregivers and Professionals
The aim of educating caregivers and professionals is so they learn about age-related changes and safety precautions. These parties interact more closely with the elderly than the specialists do. It makes sense for them to understand how to treat the elderly in case they become sick or when they become sick.
They Perform Menial Tasks for the Patients
Sometimes, the elderly may become unable to do basic tasks such as bathing and dressing up. Therefore, the specialists assist them in doing these tasks as they seek permanent solutions for their disabilities.
Generally, society has believed that it is normal for the elderly to get sick often. Due to this belief, some senior citizens do not do anything to manage their health. That means they slowly accept that they will die, yet they do not have to do that. If you just became a senior citizen, you can take preventive measures by visiting an adult gerontology nurse practitioner. Also, if you become sick, the specialist can still help you to recover.
If you are living with a senior citizen who does not see the need to see the expert, try encouraging them to do so. When you urge them, try not to be arrogant or condescending.
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