This presentation is about understanding how ageing affects people and their everyday lives. This slideshow covers: 1. Strategies carers can use to promote healthy lifestyle practices. 2. Common problems carers may face with ageing clients. 3. Physical changes associated with ageing. 4. The impact changes associated with ageing may have on a person's everyday activities. 5. How to communicate potential risks and risks associated with ageing to the older person.

1. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Understanding the
Physical Impact of
Ageing: A Course for
Personal Care
Attendants

2. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
This slideshow covers:
• Strategies to promote healthy lifestyle
practices
• Common problems carers may face
• Physical changes associated with ageing
• The impact changes associated with ageing
may have everyday activities
• How to communicate of potential risks and
risks associated with ageing to the older
person

3. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Ageing causes changes in physical appearance
and body's functioning, which may include:
• Decrease in muscle strength
• Bones that might break more easily
• Lack of balance
• Changes to sight
• Changes to hearing
• Thinner skin that may break and tear easily

4. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Physical problems include:
• Loss of flexibility
• Reduced vision
• Reduces hearing
• Memory problems or dementia
• Loss of Muscle Strength
• Loss of fine motor skills (small movements,
especially of hands and fingers)
• Problems with continence

5. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Take note of any physical changes
recorded and make sure the care you
provide is in accordance with the care
plan.

6. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
The personal care may include:
• Washing
• Dressing and grooming
• Oral hygiene
• Mobilisation
• Transferring
• Toileting
• Helping with eating and drinking
• Helping with respiration
• Skin maintenance

7. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
• Sometimes older people need
help to move, that is, getting in
or out of a bed or a chair.
• You may need to support them
during dressing.
• Back injuries can happen easily
- make sure you have been
shown the best way to help
older people while keeping
yourself safe from injury.

8. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
• Ageing may affect the types of
activities and interests older people
have.
• Encourage older people to continue
with their interests and activities.
• Recorded their interests and activities
in care plan or you could talk to the
older person about them.
• Consider and be willing to
accommodate schedule and timing
changes associated with their
interests and activities.

9. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated
with loss of flexibility:
• Unable to dress
• Not able to reach to
pick up objects
• Unable to take items
from cupboards &
Shelves

10. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated with reduced
vision:
• Unable to read directories,
timetable, medication labels
• Trouble filling in forms
• Increased risk of bumps and knocks
• Increased risk of falls
• Loss of enjoyment of reading books
and magazines
• Trouble watching television

11. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated with reduced hearing:
• Trouble answering the phone
• Trouble hearing conversations
• Not able to respond to alarms
• Reduced connection with social network
and friendships
• Problems watching television

12. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated with memory problems
or dementia:
• Unable to find items
• Trouble remembering tasks.
• Increased risk of getting lost.
• Decreased safety around the house.

13. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated with loss of muscle
strength:
• Trouble lifting or moving objects such as
shopping bags
• Increased risk of injury around the house
• Problems maintaining a house and garden
• Increased risk of falls

14. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated with loss
of fine motor skills:
• Unable to do buttons and
zippers
• Trouble opening containers
• Loss of enjoyment of activities
such as sewing or knitting
• Trouble cutting toenails or
fingernails

15. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Problems associated with with
incontinence:
• May need clothing or bedding changed
• May need pads or protective underwear
• May need help with catheter care
• May need a referral to a doctor,
physiotherapist or continence nurse

16. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Common disease and illness associated with ageing:
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Depression
• Arthritis
• Dementia
• Heart and lung disease
• Skin disorder
• Incontinence

17. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Physical changes and
problems may affect the
way older people manage
their daily activities such
as personal care, making
and having meals and
drinks, housework,
laundry, gardening or
shopping.

18. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Aged care services help older people
assess and manage their own physical
ability to perform daily activities through:
• Formal assessments
• Observations
• Discussions with the older person, family
and others such as advocates

19. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Consider these important issues:
• If older people think they can no longer do
anything for themselves, they may stop trying.
They may decide it is easier just to let other
people do things for them.
• The older person may find it hard to accept help
with their personal care.
• Many people like to have family or their partner
help with their care.
• As a support worker encourage older people to try
to do things on their own by helping them adapt.

20. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Some tools or aids to help with
ageing include:
• Stove guards to prevent pots
being pulled off the stove
accidentally.
• Page turners to help turn the
pages of a book or magazine
• Remote controls to turn lights on
and off.
• Armchairs that tilt or lift to help a
person stand up from the chair.

21. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Some tools or aids to help with
ageing include:
• Wrist supports to help
promote a stronger grip.
• Lids for cups to prevent liquid
being split.
• Laundry trolleys to carry
washing baskets.
• Grips to help with opening
jars or bottles.

22. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
How older people can
maintain health:
• Regular medical check ups
• Healthy diet and limiting fats,
sugars and oils
• Regular exercises
• No smoking

23. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
How older people can
maintain health:
• Drinking safe amounts of
alcohol.
• Drinking plenty of water to
prevent dehydration.
• Weight maintenance
• Using aids safely
• Using over-the-counter
medicines safely

24. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Promoting continence:
• Maintaining good bladder habits
• Drinking at least 6-8 cups of
water or fluids daily
• Limit caffeine
• Limit alcohol
• Regular pelvic floor exercises

25. Physical Impacts of
Ageing
Maintaining psychosocial health:
• Mental exercises
• Meeting new people
• Talking to or interacting with other people
every day
• Seeking medical help for problems
• Enjoyable activities

26. IHNA offers qualifications in
aged care, disability and
nursing.
Go to http://ihna.edu.au to kick
start your health career.
Thank you for
viewing this
presentation!