ELDERLY PERSON CARE

Elderly Person Care

Elderly Person Care

Assessment of the Situation

Given the medical condition of Mr. Trosack, the interdisciplinary team is supposed to identify the critical post-operative care issues with caution. Before identifying such issues, the team must reassess the preoperative reports of Mr. Trosack. Following total hip replacement, the patient will return to the ward with an intravenous infusion, patient-controlled analgesia pump, and vacuum drains (Brotzman, Manske & Daugherty, 2011). Every member of the multidisciplinary team must be satisfied with the surgical wound of the patient. The team must have a clear idea of the patient's mobility, appliances and any social services. Every THR patient is reviewed in the outpatients department following discharge from the hospital.

Some other minor (but potentially serious) medical conditions have been discovered during Trosack's hospital stay. First, he is overweight, or obese, with 210 lbs for his 5'7” height. Secondly, he faces hypertension, for which he is prescribed Lopressor 25 mg bid for an average B/P of 160/100. Thirdly, he has noninsulin-dependent diabetes, for which he was prescribed Glucophage 500 mg. These problems combine to constitute the most critical issue in the post-operative management.

The second most critical issue is Trosack's limited mobility following the THR. Since Trosack would need to have this moving aid from now on, the team must look into the alternatives available to him. The condition is further worsened given the fact that Trosack lives alone on the second floor in a three-story, post-WWII apartment building. It is unclear whether he has proper means of communication in times of emergency. Furthermore, his partial hearing disability could seriously limit his help calls (Capezuti, 2008). Trosack should not be left alone to care for himself in an event of post-surgical crisis. Excessive extension, flexion or rotation of a joint may result in a partial or complete rupture of a ligament.

Interdisciplinary Team

Formulating an interdisciplinary team is the key to post THR care. An interdisciplinary team may consist of a medical physician, a psychiatrist, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a rehabilitation nurse, a social worker and a speech therapist (Breusch & Malchau, 2005). For Trosack, the roles of medical physican, rehabilitation nurse, social worker, physical therapist and speech therapist are indispensable. The medical physician would cater for the follow up medical advice for Trosack. The physical therapist, on the other hand, would help Trosack exercise his disabled or weakened lower limbs. The rehabilitation nurse would act as an intermediary between the physician and the therapist.

A rehabilitation nurse is in a good position to close the circle in a rehabilitation process, ensuring that new skills learnt in therapy sessions are incorporated into everyday life (Capezuti, 2008). Rehabilitation nurses are the only professional group to provide a round-the-clock service in the rehabilitation process. A social worker would help keep a track of Trosack's social and familial needs. He could convince Trosack's son to advance his support on a regular basis. Finally, a speech therapist would be able to help Trosack lower the dangers ...