Iron Deficiency; What is Anemia?

By Cathryn Peter, Madelon Smith, Martha Timmons

BSN Students

Iron Deficiency

 

 

Iron is an element that is found in red blood cells and is essential for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the body. Humans are unable to make their own iron. People must consume iron-rich foods or iron supplements to meet body requirements. If a person has an insufficient amount of iron they can develop a disorder called iron deficiency anemia (IDA). IDA is very common in older adults. According to Lindblad, Cotton, and Allan (2015), more than 10% of adults over the age of 65 have IDA. This number increases to 20% in adults over the age of 85.

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Care of Dentures, Natural Teeth, and Mouth Sore Prevention

Care of Dentures, Natural Teeth, and Mouth Sore Prevention

In the elderly population, the use of dentures and loss of natural teeth can create potential health problems.  Oral care is important in the older adult population because of the increased use of dentures, increased likelihood of chronic diseases, and other various health-related issues that can affect the health of the mouth.  This article will discuss health promotion, risk factors and prevention methods in oral care.

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Forgetfulness: Knowing When To Ask For Help

By National Institute on Aging

Maria has been a teacher for 35 years. Teaching fills her life and gives her a sense of accomplishment, but recently she has begun to forget details and has become more and more disorganized. At first, she laughed it off, but her memory problems have worsened. Her family and friends have been sympathetic but are not sure what to do. Parents and school administrators are worried about Maria’s performance in the classroom. The principal has suggested she see a doctor. Maria is angry with herself and frustrated, and she wonders whether these problems are signs of Alzheimer’s disease or just forgetfulness that comes with getting older.

Many people worry about becoming forgetful. They think forgetfulness is the first sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Over the past few years, scientists have learned a lot about memory and why some kinds of memory problems are serious but others are not.  Read More…