Free «Client Report» Essay Sample

The Patient Context

It is evident that Mr Wong has serious health problems. Some of them (such as early stages of dementia) may be primarily attributed to his age, while others are caused by other factors that require further investigation. Mr Wong needs timely help as his physical and mental state is subject to significant risks that should be adequately addressed.

The Collection of Cues/Information

Mr Wong is 81 years old; thus, all his systems experience high risks. As some mental problems are present, it affects the functionality of the entire organism. His weight is very low; however, the information about his height is absent. At the same time, the seriousness of this issue may be precisely determined only when the patient’s weight is examined in relation to his height. Paper thin skin demonstrates that Mr Wong’s immune system cannot adequately respond to various external health challenges. The patient’s low appetite corresponds to his low weight, as well as the passive lifestyle. Thus, low appetite may be considered as a consequence rather than the cause of Mr Wong’s health problems. Some additional information about the activities and the amount of energy spent by the patient per day is needed in order to determine his net energy balance.

The seriousness of mental problems may be evaluated only when the dynamics of symptoms is known. Thus, data about Mr Wong’s mental state in the past is required. It is possible that dementia has a chronic character while it is also plausible that it has appeared only recently. Such information will affect the treatment strategy. The fact that Mr Wong’s genitalia often get red and sore, and the fact that he is incontinent with urine shows that numerous additional challenges exist. It is reasonable to specify the cause of his inadequate control over his body. It may be caused by dementia or have another source. Therefore, additional information about the dynamics of Mr Wong’s urine problems is needed for the comparison with dementia’s dynamics.

Mr Wong’s unsteadiness and pulling back on his walking frame are consequences of his mental and physical problems. These aspects are the typical outcomes of his overall state. At the same time, the information about the degree of unsteadiness and the level of control is needed. If all the above-mentioned information is provided, it is possible to make correct conclusions and develop the corresponding strategy.

The Processing of Information

It is necessary to evaluate data as information without interpretation cannot serve as a basis for decision-making. Mr Wong’s low activity levels and low appetite may be considered as normal for his age. Although there are some exceptions, people with the age of more than 80 years do not typically demonstrate high activity. Dementia problems are abnormal, although they are also often observed within this population group. However, as age does not necessarily cause dementia or other mental problems, it should be considered abnormal.

There is a hypothesis that dementia and urine problems, as well as general unsteadiness are closely related to one another. More precisely, it seems that dementia may cause all these problems as various forms of the lack of control over one’s body are generally associated with some mental difficulties. The information about the dynamics of dementia and other symptoms may help to verify this hypothesis. If dementia is observed earlier or at least simultaneously with other symptoms, then it indirectly supports the initial hypothesis. If dementia emerged later than other symptoms, then it contradicts the hypothesis. Moreover, a high correlation among various symptoms also indirectly supports the hypothesis.

If the hypothesis is refuted, then it is reasonable to investigate all available information and formulate an alternative one. However, if the hypothesis is approved, then the main attention should be paid to the control and minimization of negative consequences of dementia. In particular, cognitive stimulation may be effective in this context (Knapp et al 2006, p. 574). The stimulation demonstrates a significant positive impact on the population in general. The cost-effectiveness analysis also demonstrates the reasonability of using cognitive stimulation in dealing with dementia (Spector et al 2003, p. 248).

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If the situation with dementia is improved, then it may be expected that the level of physical and mental activities of Mr Wong may increase. However, this process should be under the close control and organized in a moderate way as any substantial changes may cause difficulties for the patient’s organism. If the situation with dementia tends to worsen, then the overall patient’s physical state may be subject to additional pressure and risks. Therefore, the effectiveness of dealing with dementia may determine the overall treatment results.

The problems with skin may be attributed to the weak patient’s immune system. Thus, skin may serve as an indirect indicator of treatment results in relation to restoring the productivity of the immune system. The analysis should include the comparison of changes in the immune system that may be explained by the patient’s age and other factors. Longo et al (2014) propose the system of verification of alternative hypotheses in this field. Such approach may be applied to Mr Wong’s case. As Mr Wong lives with his daughter and grandchildren, it is reasonable to specify whether stresses exist in the process of their communication with each other. Segerstrom and Miller (2004) show that in the majority of cases, the human immune system and psychological stresses are closely correlated. As the external environment is not constant, it is also reasonable to investigate the influence of external factors on Mr Wong’s health (Terizzi, Shook, & McDaniel 2013, p. 99).

Finally, it is reasonable to investigate the hypothesis about the relationship between dementia and immune problems. It may be expected that this relationship is indirect. Immune problems are largely associated with the patient’s age that also affects the severity of dementia. As mental problems do not contribute to the reaching of the necessary balance among various systems, they also have a negative impact on the immune system. At the same time, the weak immune system does not allow accumulating the necessary amount of energy to neutralize dementia (Segerstrom & Miller 2004, p. 605). Thus, considerably complex relationships are observed in this context.