Adult Health IV ePortfolio Post – Lila Gaudrault
For the duration of my time in nursing school, my views related to gerontology and working with older adults largely stemmed from my work and volunteer experiences. I have worked with this population for years, beginning as a CNA at a memory care facility, then transitioning to a job at an adult day care center for patients with dementia while also volunteering at a hospice. I absolutely loved working with the geriatric population—I found them easy to talk to, and enjoyed hearing their stories and life experiences—however, because of the settings where I worked, my views on aging were quite negative. I learned to associate getting older with sickness, memory impairment, and a loss of independence. Of course, deep down I knew that these associations weren’t always true, but it was difficult to truly internalize what healthy aging looked like when the elderly patients I cared for were almost always far along in their progression of dementia.
If I could choose one single most important takeaway from this course, it would be that aging doesn’t change a person. Of course, getting older alters our body in a number of ways physically, from reduced kidney function and muscle mass to increased risk of fractures and high blood pressure. However, at our core, aging doesn’t change who we are as an individual. Our minds and personalities remain the same, and we still have similar needs, hopes, and fears. Moreover, getting older doesn’t have to mean getting sicker or dependent on others. Instead, geriatric individuals can lead healthy, independent, fulfilling lives, and we as nurses can assist them to accomplish this. Nurses are often so focused on caring for their patients that they may forget that sometimes the best thing we can do is help patients to care for themselves. These are lessons I will take into not only my nursing practice, but also my own aging experience and that of those around me. Working in memory care, I can recall multiple occasions where, constrained by time and the sheer number of tasks I had to complete, I did everything for patients. I chose their outfit, got them dressed, and brushed their hair. However, looking back, I wish I had taken the time to slow down and allow these individuals to assist in their care and make choices, even if their mind was not quite as sharp as it once was. I remember Dr. Marilyn Gugliucci explaining “compassionate ageism” earlier this semester, and how our good intentions to help patients with things we believe they can’t do on their own can actually hinder them. This stuck with me as something I will absolutely take into my future nursing career, no matter what population I care for. After all, encouraging as much independence and autonomy as possible is usually in the best interest of the patient.
As I prepare for graduation and my first nursing role, I envision myself working with the geriatric population. These are the individuals I have always found the most fulfillment in caring for. Specifically, I love working with patients experiencing dementia and cognitive impairment. I find joy and purpose in helping these patients to feel seen and valued in a world where they are often shut down or left out. I have become skilled at communicating with them, meeting them where they are, and making adjustments each day—because dementia is a condition where one day can be vastly different from the next. However, with all this being said, I recognize that working with population has the potential to make me more worried about my own aging. Thus, I believe this course will have a positive impact on how I maintain a strong mindset and belief that healthy aging is possible and isn’t always characterized by sickness and memory loss. I will do my best to lead a healthy life today and approach my getting older with curiosity and excitement. I won’t change because society tells me to, but instead continue to be the person I’ve always been, hopefully enjoying the same hobbies and lifestyle that I do now. In sum, this course has taught me that aging, though a necessary part of life’s journey, doesn’t have to change a person for the worse. Instead, our true selves, including our personalities, wants, needs, and minds, remains unchanged. As a nurse, I will also do my best to encourage my patients to be their most authentic selves and age with health and happiness at the forefront of their minds.
