Running Head: REFLECTIVE JOURNAL 1

Perceptions of the Aging Population

Megan Scott

Trent University
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL 2

Throughout this semester, I have learned many new things and have been able to

experience them with different residents. I have learned different assessments and hands-on

applications; these consisted of the SPICES assessment, learning blood pressure and counting

respirations, the Braden Scale for indication of pressure ulcers, and the Morse Fall Scale for

indication of fall risks. These were brand new assessments and thus far, I am able to confidently

perform them on my resident(s). The experiences that I have learned this far from the long-term

care facility, as well as what I will continue to learn until the end of the semester, I will be able

to take it with me in the summer for my upcoming job at the hospital. I feel confident and

passionate about working in a hospital setting, especially because I have demonstrated how to

care for residents in various situations. An example of demonstrating care to my resident is when

I assist her waking up from bed, changing her brief, providing peri-care and oral care. I am also

able to feed various residents that may have difficulty feeding themselves due to low range of

mobility, decrease in cognitive abilities, or dysphasia. I do notice that as people age, the less they

are able to do by themselves. I would presume this is discouraging for the residents. An article

written by Kagan and Melendez-Torres demonstrates how the older population faces a

fundamental threat due to implications of age discrimination and stereotypes. Truthfully, coming

into this clinical practice, I had a different perspective on what I thought the older population

would be like. I previously had particular thoughts and assumptions of the older population

because of my grandmother who has dementia. My granny is 91 years old and she is unable to

recognize faces, gets sidetracked very easily and has a hard time keeping a conversation. Yes,

some elders show these characteristics as well, however, I am thoroughly impressed with the age

of the residents and they amount of intelligence and wisdom that they can provide. It is

incredible. The article focuses on health care administrators and how they neglect certain work
REFLECTIVE JOURNAL 3

towards the older population because of aspects such as “socially ascribed race, gender, sexual

orientation and poverty” (Kagan and Melendez-Torres, 2015). In doing this, it can jeopardize the

resident’s well-being when they are in need of assistance. “The most familiar form of ageism is

negative judgment and hurtful, or even violent actions against another, based on perceptions of

advanced age” (Kagan and Melendez-Torres, 2015). I agree with this statement, and it is not

something to be proud of. We will all be a part of the older population at some point in our lives.

I could not imagine being unable to care for myself and be neglected. When older adults need

care, they are not being provided with the attention that is necessary because of specific

ideologies or stereotypes of the older population. I always try to provide the best care possible

when I can, and it certainly makes me feel good on the inside knowing that I am making

someone else happy, even by doing the simplest thing.

REFLECTIVE JOURNAL 4

References

Kagan, S., Melendez-Torres, G.J. (2015) Ageism in Nursing. Journal of Nursing Management,

23, 644-650. doi: 10.1111.jonm.12191