Health and Social Support of Elderly Families in Developed Countries: Nurses Must Adapt a Global Perspective

Although the majority of the elderly retain functions until later years, it is estimated that for each good functional year that is added to life, 3.5 compromised years are also added. The single most important thing that can be done to assist older persons and their families is education of the elder, the family, and the formal caregiver. Although nurses support including the patient in the decision making process, this is often not done when it comes to the individual practice situation. There is a need for more research in this area. The challenge for the nursing staff is to publish innovative programs so others can share in their experiences. Most often these novel interventions are lost because they are not published; they will have to be rediscovered.