Field Study Gerontology

Aging is like time, it is a never-ending process. It does not wait nor does it stop for anything or anyone. It is up to us to make the best of the time that we are given. As people advance into their years of adulthood, they go through changes in their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial abilities. This all comes from the field of gerontology, the study of aging through the physical, mental, and social implications of how an individual lives his or her life. A background in gerontology will expand our overall understanding of the aging process and open up possibilities to counter it. As a future nurse practitioner, I will be working directly with individuals, providing general, preventative care, as well as treating illnesses. In my professional

In a spectrum of young-young, young-old, and old-old, I can adapt to treating a variety of illnesses a patient may have. The process of aging can help minimize, and possibly eliminate the negative aspects of aging in individuals. For example, patients who are in the middle-age stage tend to seek a change in their physical, as well as mental health. Individuals during this time of aging may experience chronic diseases such as arthritis, heart disease, and cataracts (Aldwin et. al., 2018). However, a child’s way of aging is by going through puberty and growth spurt. Growth spurt is defined as “the rapid and intense increase in the rate of growth in height and weight that occurs during the adolescent stage of the human life cycle” (Bogin). Being said that, aging can still be fearful, as adolescence places one of the biggest impacts in a person’s life. This brings me to educate my patients on the aging process and why it is important to be aware of it. For example, from ages 13 to 19, puberty causes a teenager’s brain to release hormones in the ovaries (female) and testes (male). Thus, I will educate the patient on what he or she will be expecting in puberty and how this process will affect their physical and emotional experiences. On the other hand, a patient in his mid 60’s, depending on how his lifestyle is, may need to watch out for high cholesterol. In the book of Introduction to Public Health,

As we slowly reach the end of our lives, we often think about how we’re going to live our lives from now on. With a background in gerontology, I plan to get to know the patient on a deeper level and share personal thoughts about death. This will help me develop a closer and deeper level or relationship with the patient. Depending on how the patient approaches the idea of death, I will be able to provide the social support by encouraging the patient to participate in activities that they enjoy doing. Research suggests ways to maintain optimal physical, mental, and social aging by making smart decisions that can delay or avoid the common diseases caused by old age. Some common diseases are cerebrovascular disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and bronchitis. People tend to think of old age as something scary because they feel that they are not capable of doing anything. According to Dr. Herbert Lingren, “We must continue to fight the myths of ageism and become knowledgeable about this stage of life called late adulthood. This period of our lives could be the most satisfying of all” (Lingren). Thus, a wellness-lifestyle can help to decelerate aging and promote optimism in aging. Regardless of these medical conditions or diseases, it should not stop them from living their lives to the fullest. Instead of ageism isolating the older generation, optimal aging will set the patient