Functional Consequences Theory

In recent years, Australia’s population is aging due to increased life span and lowered reproduction rate (McMahon & Fleury, 2012). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012), there are three million adults aged 65 years and older residing in Australia. As a consequence, the focus of health care services and healthcare professionals, particularly nurses should be on addressing the physiological, functional and cognitive changes experienced by older adults (McMahon & Fleury, 2012). In line with this, the purpose of this assessment is to demonstrate how the provision of nursing care supports the elderly patient’s dignity. The direction of care will be based on the Functional Consequences Theory which roots patient’s care on understanding

She is a renowned writer and enjoys volunteer work. Unfortunately, because of her illness, Kathleen suffers from shortness of breath, difficulty of standing or walking for prolonged durations and distance, and unexpected weight loss. The other concern that should be considered in providing patient care is the diversity of Kathleen’s character. For a 75-year-old woman, she has another book due in three weeks. She actively participates in volunteer work and makes sure she eats good food. Likewise, she does not like being restricted at home where she lives alone in a two-bedroom flat close to the

The focus of care would not only be her disease nor the age-related changes in her body but it would be the interweaving of her ‘mind, body and soul’ (Hunter, 2012) while promoting and maintaining patient dignity. The goal would be to improve the quality of her life through proper support, encouragement and supervised independence. Holistic interventions would be the means of applying a ‘rights based care’ that incorporates the principles of respect, dignity and autonomy. All interventions shall be relevant to the needs, desires and autonomy of the patient (Tolson, Booth and Schofield, 2011). The approach for the interventions will be better guided through the “patient-centered connections” recommended by Register & Herman, as cited by Hunter