1- Do the needs of the younger stroke patient differ from the older patient that
experiences a stroke? Is so, what are the differences? If not, why not? Are some needs the
same for both patients? Why?
2- Identify one (1) member of the interprofessional health care team that the RN
would collaborate with for this patient. What role will this team member have in the
continuing care of this patient?
STROKE CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE
In recent times, it has become essential for the RN and other medical practitioners to
understand the need for stroke patients in different age groups to adopt the best strategies for
continuing care to them. Despite some identified similarities, there exists different needs and
experiences of the young and old stroke patients. The differences are attributed to stroke effects
on self-image, age normative activities, roles and the stage in the life cycle. Some of the needs
for younger patients include work disruptions, family plans, childcare responsibilities and overall
disturbances of family routines (Kee et al, 2015). There is a hidden disrupted sense of self,
cognitive impairment of suffering an older person’s disease among the young patients. In this
case, the young patients have more unmet needs compared to their old counterparts. The older
people are at a higher risk of suffering from the stroke as compared to the young ones. Such
reasons make the young patients have more specific needs both psychological and practical in
nature (Kee et al, 2015). The added psychological need involves reconciling their perceived
incongruity concerning suffering a disease for the old.
STROKE CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE 2
The old patients fail to receive constant high-intensity neurorehabilitation as compared to
the young patients thus the old survivors need less therapy intensive settings (Kee et al, 2015).
Compared to the old, young patients feel different about their stroke experience due to their early
life stage and the effects caused by the disease. Different psychological therapies and practices
are adopted in correspondence to needs of either the old or young patients. There is a similarity
between the needs of the young and old patients since both receive high amounts of therapy and
specialized inpatient neurorehabilitation during their care period (Kee et al, 2015).
The therapist is an important member of the interprofessional healthcare team that would
assist the RN in the provision of quality care to the stroke patient. One of the roles performed by
the therapist involves promoting and teaching healthy lifestyle routines and habits to the patients
to minimize the risks of secondary stroke. Assistive technology training for the patient and home
modifications requiring interventions made by the therapist are vital roles performed enhancing
an effective collaboration with the RN (Kee et al, 2015). In a nutshell, adoption of the right
strategies while providing care to stroke patients results to the positive and desired outcomes.
STROKE CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE 3
Reference
Kee, J., Hayes, E., & McCuistion, L. (2015). Pharmacology: A patient-centered nursing process
approach (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.