Extracts from this document...

Introduction

P4: Explain potential differences in care needs of individuals at different life stages Whatever life stage that a person is undergoing they will have certain care needs. These care needs can be placed into several categories. In this essay I will be explaining the care needs of individuals during infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age. I will explain how these care needs can be similar at each life stage but also be comparing the different life stages and explaining how care needs may be different. The categories that I will be using when explaining these care needs are physical care needs, intellectual care needs, emotional care needs and social care needs. Every individual has physical, intellectual, emotional and social care needs. Physical care needs are to do with our bodies and trying to maintain the effective functioning of our bodies. Intellectual care needs involve the mind and brain and the need to learn new things and keep the mind and brain functioning effectively. Emotional care needs involve our feelings and being able to understand our own feelings as well as other peoples feelings. ...read more.

Middle

Some people do still have this need in adulthood and about 1 in 100 people will continue to wet the bed, they may need to be referred to a urologist for specialist support. Due to conditions such as stroke and multiple sclerosis a person in other life stages may have problems with incontinence. They will have the care needs of having regular changes of bed clothes and may need medical interventions such as a catheter fitted which could be done by the practice nurse at their GP surgery. Generally, people in the life stage of adolescence and adulthood will not have this care need. All age groups need to be protected against diseases. A key time in a person?s life is during infancy and childhood where children are given the standard childhood immunisations. A child?s parent will be advised for their children to have the MMR vaccine and this will mean that they will be immune from catching these diseases during their lives. During adolescence girls will be advised by professionals such as the school nurse to have the PPV vaccine as this will prevent them from getting cervical cancer later in life. ...read more.

Conclusion

The individual may have worked all of their lives and feel ?useless? now that they have retired. This emotional need may also be the same for a person in adulthood who as lost their job but during old age most people will retire. Healthcare professionals can support people in old age with their social care needs by putting them in touch with a day care centre where they can meet other people in similar circumstances. At day centres the care staff can also make sure that activities are provided that keep the old person mentally stimulated. For example, they may have quizzes to help the person keep their mind active. Intellectual care needs area also important at all of the life stages. For example, children and adolescents need to learn all the new things which will help them in life and this involves going to school. If a child ends up having to go into hospital and miss a lot of schooling then a private tuition may be offered as part of their can plan. In this essay I have shown that healthcare workers need to be aware of each individuals physical, intellectual, emotional and social care needs and that these change during the life span. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Health and Social Care section.