Toward Healthy Aging: Human Needs and Nursing Response by Ann Schmidt Luggen, Priscilla Ebersole, Patricia Hess, Kathleen Jett, Theris A. Touhy

From the Publisher

As the most comprehensive resource on health promotion and maintenance for older adults and their families and caregivers, Toward Healthy Aging, 7th Edition includes the most current information you need to provide effective holistic care, promote healthy lifestyle choices, and address end-of-life issues. Grounded in the core competencies recommended by the AACN in collaboration with the Hartfound Institute for Geriatric Nursing and using Maslow's hierarchy of needs, this book includes complete coverage of both common and uncommon conditions in the older adult. Towards Healthy Aging also highlights key aging issues with sections devoted to basic physiologic needs, safety and security, the need to belong, self-esteem, and self-actualization.

• A strong focus on health and wellness emphasizes a positive approach to aging.
• Disease processes are discussed in the context of healthy adaptation, nursing support, and responsibilities.
• Careful attention to age, cultural, and gender differences are integrated throughout to help you remember these important considerations when caring for older adults.
• Up-to-date content on AIDS provides important information on addressing this growing concern among older adults.
• Consistent chapter is organization with objectives, case studies, critical thinking questions, research, and study questions make information easy to find and use.
• Assessment guidelines are incorporated throughout in helpful tables, boxes, and forms for quick access.
• Case studies at the end of most chapters explore realistic patient care scenarios to help you expand your knowledge and understanding.
• Resource lists and appendices provide opportunitiesfor further research and study.

• With over 200 illustrations, the full-color design is engaging and easy to read.
• Healthy People 2010 boxes address healthy aging considerations.
• Evidence-Based Practice boxes help you incorporate the latest research findings into practice and advise you on how to avoid potentially harmful practices.
• A Nutritional Needs chapter includes the most current nutritional guidelines for older adults to help you better address patients' nutritional needs.
• Includes the latest scales and guidelines for assessing the gerontologic patient in the Health Assessment in Gerontological Nursing chapter.
• Expanded coverage of end-of-life issues helps you meet the needs of older adults and their families and caregivers during this difficult transition.
• Economics of aging discussions help you better understand the financial challenges your patients may face.
• The latest pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic pain management information helps you reduce pain and discomfort for your patients and helps you provide more effective care.

David Zane

The structure of this book is based on Maslow'sconceptual framework of human needs, specifically centered on theissues, needs, and care of the elderly and progressing from basicbiological needs to more complex self-actualization needs. Now in itsfifth edition, the authors typically present each chapter in a clearstructure: introductory quotations; learning objectives; main text; keyconcepts; case study; study questions; research questions; resourceaddresses; and related appendixes. The purpose is to organize acomprehensive text on holistic care of the aging in a myriad ofsettings that will have relevant content for all levels of nursing andmultidisciplinary courses. The need for a comprehensive text onholistic care of the aging is evident, since the number of elderly isgrowing in the United States and throughout the world. Furthermore,evidence suggests that the elderly are living longer, so it isimperative for many reasons that these extended years be healthier. Thebook meets a great portion of the authors' objectives. The casestudies, resource addresses, and related appendixes are importantexamples of how a book can utilize clinical situations and tools infostering student understanding that holistic care of the elderlyrequires critical thinking and advanced planning. The book isprimarily written for geriatric nursing students of all educationallevels; additionally the authors mention its use in teachingmultidisciplinary courses. In my judgment, the textbook is primarilyan undergraduate text for a nursing student interested in pursuinggerontologic nursing care. The chapter by chapter case studies,resource list, and associated appendixes demonstrate both authors'understanding of howto care holistically for aging clients. Furthermore, the authors impressed me with their compassion and respectfor the elderly demonstrated throughout the text. The quality andpertinence of the illustrations are good. Excellent photographsrelated to skin problems and very good illustrations for exercise areincluded. Overall appearance of the book is very good. This is agood text for an undergraduate nursing course on holistic care of theelderly. The new layout makes it more attractive and revisions havebeen made to the latest edition related to mental health, cognition,pharmacology, death, and transcendence.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Lori L. Popejoy, PhD, APRN, BC (University of Missouri-Columbia)
Description:This is the seventh edition of a book written for the express purpose of providing practicing nurses, faculty, and students with current research-based information about gerontological nursing. The guiding framework for this book, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, offers a wonderful way to ground the discussion about how to meet the needs of older adults.
Purpose:This research-based resource for nurses, faculty, and students offers them the means to create environments of care in which older adults can thrive and meet their full potential. The authors meet their objectives of challenging nurses to offer wonderful, high quality care to older adults.
Audience:Intended for practicing nurses, faculty, and students, the book is a comprehensive resource on the care of older adults.
Features:It covers essential elements of care for older adults, starting with the dramatically changing demographic picture of aging, moving through common changes associated with aging, including changes that are physical, spiritual, and social. The tables, which comprehensively cover the chapter content, are particularly useful for students. This book can be used successfully with undergraduate students, as well as with graduate students.
Assessment:This is an excellent book. It is comprehensive, yet highly readable, and compares favorably to other textbooks in the field.

Booknews

Revised edition (2nd was 1985) of a text for nursing students or health professionals who work with the aged. Chapters have been added on mobility, chronic disorders, and gerontic laboratory values, and increased attention is focused on caregivers of the aged in the community. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Rating

3 Stars from Doody

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents