Introduction
Chronic alterations mostly develop due to the normal changes brought on by individuals’ aging processes. People deal with several issues at various points in their lives or phases of development. For instance, there are clear variations between young adults and elderly individuals concerning the causes, signs, and reactions to different treatments for specific diseases. I interviewed Mr. Hulbert, a 68-year-old patient confirmed with gastrointestinal ulcers, to understand his personal experience and the intersection between life phases and healthcare. According to Hulbert, most people lose their capacity for effective social interaction as they age. He stated that elderly patients are frequently more helpless and improbable to be capable of taking charge of their requirements and desires on their own. They frequently believe that initiatives are necessary at this point in their lives so they can engage with health practitioners or experts in a proper manner. Improved primary care and preventative medical services depend on the study of encounters throughout life phases.
Do You Feel That Your Stage of Life Had Any Effect on Your Interaction With Healthcare Professionals?
Hulbert presented his worries during the interview regarding how his stage of life impacted his interactions with his medical providers. In the interview, he said that when he described his sickness to his physicians some years ago, they did not pay attention to him. He recounts an incident where his inability to recognize what he is sensitive to led medical professionals to dismiss drugs containing sulphur, worsening his disease. The relationship between patients and medical professionals is always essential because it helps to improve insightful diagnosis and successful illness treatment (Au-Yong-Oliveira et al., 2021). Cooperation between healthcare providers and patients also fosters a good working connection, which frees up more time and finances for the medical professional to help patients recover. Additionally, he has lost his sense of belonging due to old age. In essence, he has seen numerous instances where medical professionals have ignored his significant engagement. In these situations, he is consistently viewed as elderly and incapable of engaging in any worthwhile activity. Such occurrences foster a sense of loneliness, which no patient should ever feel.
Which Areas of the Hospital or Clinic Were Most Concerned with Your Well-Being and Feelings?
Hulbert indicated some locations where contacts between elderly patients and healthcare professionals are likely to be limited. He claims that his opinions had been ignored at the reception area, the ward unit, the financial department, and even the lab department, where he was once asked to come in with a friend or family member. Such an incident, in his opinion, wounded his feelings and made the whole experience strange. It is imperative to stress that caring for older adults often requires a special strategy that considers their psychological and financial wellness (Batsis et al., 2021). Most elderly patients experience a sensation of not mattering, particularly when individuals ignore them or assume they cannot decide for themselves. Elderly patients may feel lonely, as was the case with Hulbert.
Was Your Family With You During This Hospital Stay or Outpatient Visit?
Hulbert reported that his spouse and children were very close and supported him during his hospitalization. The family members took his wellness and mood into consideration. Family helps interpret health data for the patient, aiding them in making choices and upholding health-promoting habits (Michaelson et al., 2021). In this aspect, the patient’s wife and kids were crucial in ensuring he followed the medical advice given to him in the hospital.
Was Your Family Involved in Any Way during Your Treatment?
The patient thanked his family for helping him tremendously with his therapy by giving him some of the shots the doctors had ordered. They also significantly affected his adherence to the doctors’ suggestions for diet and medication instead of physical activity. Such actions taken by the patient’s close relatives are generally perceived as post-operative recommendations and are crucial to the patient’s recovery. Since the patients find it difficult to undertake all of these duties on their own, family members are frequently involved in helping the patients follow the recommendations made by the physicians. Most importantly, as it positively affects the patient’s decision-making and improves the provision of primary healthcare services, societal assistance is crucial in all treatment processes (Michaelson et al., 2021). Social support is encouraged through family participation in the patient’s care, which helps to reduce fear and sadness and hasten the patient’s recuperation from their disease.
Conclusion
The progression of a patient’s illness or problem largely depends on their stage of life. In this situation, dealing with patients at any stage of their life and across the process of detecting these disorders must take into account their psychological features and wellness. The findings from the interview make it evident that the patient’s life stages had a big impact on how well the health professional and family members treated the patient. Members of the family are crucial because they influence patients’ making choices when it pertains to available treatments.
References
Au-Yong-Oliveira, M., Pesqueira, A., Sousa, M. J., Dal Mas, F., & Soliman, M. (2021). The potential of big data research in healthcare for medical doctors’ learning. Journal of Medical Systems, 45(1). Web.
Batsis, J. A., Daniel, K., Eckstrom, E., Goldlist, K., Kusz, H., Lane, D., Loewenthal, J., Coll, P. P., & Friedman, S. M. (2021). Promoting healthy aging during covid‐19. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 69(3), 572–580. Web.
Michaelson, V., Pilato, K. A., & Davison, C. M. (2021). Family as a health promotion setting: A scoping review of conceptual models of the health-promoting family. PLOS One, 16(4). Web.