SAGUIGUIT, FRANCIS KATE D.

                                      FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT #2
BSN 308                                                                                   CARE OF OLDER PERSON

Reflection Paper

Old age is a vulnerable phase; older people need support and relaxation to lead a safe life without
stress and anxiety. The number of older people with unmet treatment and assistance needs is
growing dramatically due to the difficulties confronting the formal and informal care system in
the Philippines. Statistics from the Department of Health showed that the highest occurrences of
deaths were among elderly persons ages 70 years old and above. It comprised more than 38
percent of total deaths. Here in our country, injuries were regarded as the 4th leading cause of
mortality; older adults are commonly impaired by disabilities attributable to functional
deterioration due to increased dependency, muscle atrophy, reduction of bone mineral mass,
reduced physical activity, dietary calcium deficit or, in women, hormonal withdrawal. This can
be related to wear and tear under stochastic theory in which older adult who has arthritis has a
greater risk for fall/injury. On the other hand, the endocrine theory under non-stochastic was also
correlated as the endocrine system becomes and functions less efficiently and eventually leads to
the effect of aging.

Considering the current socioeconomic condition of older adults, self-efficiency and substantive
relationships are beneficial effects on socioeconomic issues for older adults. This correlates to
Gerotranscendence's psychosocial theories of aging, which describes the development involving
new understandings of the self and relationship to others. On the other hand, the adverse effects
are that they do not have easy access to the requisite consultations or medicines, thus, having
older people a higher risk potential for illnesses. This correlates to age stratification, which refers
to the hierarchical ranking of people into age groups.