Older Adults: What Every Paediatric Nurse Should Know

Abstract

Older adults have always been important parts of children's lives, playing a variety of roles including grandparent, caregiver, friend, and neighbour. Grandparents also play a variety of roles in families. Often a child's first encounter with serious illness or death involves a grandparent or other older adult. Grandparents are also increasingly serving as primary caregivers for children. Paediatric nurses have long recognised their role in helping children cope with grief and loss associated with illness or death of a grandparent. Paediatric nurses need to be able to provide appropriate interventions and teaching when older adults are primary caregivers or assisting parents in the day-to-day care of the child. They also need to have sufficient knowledge about older adults to help parents and children understand the normal changes they will see in their aging loved ones, and to help parents effectively incorporate grandparents and older adults into children's lives.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Beth Ellen Barba

Professor Beth Ellen Barba is Professor in the Community Practice Department, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Anita Starr Tesh

Professor Anita Starr Tesh is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Kay Cowen

Mrs Kay Cowen is Clinical Associate Professor in the Parent Child Department, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Debbie Hancock

Mrs Debbie Hancock is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Parent Child Department, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Catherine Moore

Mrs Catherine Moore is a Graduate Student in Nursing Administration, School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Greensboro