Changes in medical and social care needs with progression of age

Human lifespan increases and the share of persons aged 65 years and over increases respectively. Population ageing is significant in the European region. In Bulgaria, the proportion of the elderly exceeds 20% in 2016. With the progression of age, the needs for medical and social care change. This paper analyses the needs for primary and hospital care, care in the post-hospital period, intake of medicines, dental care, technical aids, home care, and social care. The specifics of services for the elderly people and difficulties in their receiving in our country are discussed. The best practices of the world experience in medical and social care organization, relevant to advanced age, are presented

Historical information about the development of emergency medical care

Life-saving efforts have been made since the beginning of the human race. The initial `emergency care` included providing first aid in case of traumas and wounds. Approaches for reaction in emergency conditions were developed as a result of the accumulation of empirical experience, medical knowledge, as well as during wars, epidemics and incidents with a large number of sufferers. This article systematizes historical information about the development of emergency medical care worldwide and in Bulgaria

Health and role functioning in advanced age

Ageing is a natural process in the individual devel­opment of a human being. The health status as well as social positions change with the progression of age. This paper analyses the main aspects of life function­ing of people aged 65 years and over that influence each other: functional ability, presence of pain, mental health, and social role. The changes in physical, men­tal and cognitive status, which disturb the functioning, should be respected in daily dealings with elderly peo­ple, even more if they are dependent on assistance. So­cial support is crucial not only for receiving the needed care but also for keeping self-esteem of the elderly per­son and his/her will to live

Job satisfaction of health care professionals in emergency medical aid in Varna district

Exploring the factors that affect job satisfaction is important for the management of human resources andoptimal functioning of the organization. A job satisfaction survey of the health care professionals at the Center forEmergency Medical Care - Varna has been made. The survey includes 98 respondents (nurses, midwives and feldshers) working in the nine subsidiaries of the Center: Varna, Aksakovo, Beloslav, Byala, Valchi Dol, Dalgopol, Devnya, Dolni Chiflik and Provadia, which represents 95% of the list of all health care professionals in the Center. The information was obtained through a semi-structured questionnaire. The results show that payment and social benefits are rated as the most influential factors by 82,7% of respondents, followed by working conditions (73,5%), team relationships (70,4%), job security (60,2%). It is necessary to maintain favorable working environment factors because only the professional satisfied with the job is motivated to stay working for a long time in emergency medical aid

Professional caregiver qualification training worldwide

Нарастващите потребности от подкрепящи грижи изискват високо качество на обслужване на пациентите в болничната и извънболничната помощ, поради което е необходимо те да се изпълняват от добре обучени професионалисти. За тази цел са разработени програми за обучението на болногледачи/здравни асистенти в различни държави по света, които са представени в настоящата статия. Институциите, които предоставят необходимата професионална подготовка, медицински знания и сертификат за легално упражняване на тази професия, са специализирани медицински учреждения и частни фирми. Обучението в медицинските училища се осъществява от висококвалифициран медицински персонал и гарантира отлична подготовка и практика в екип с други здравни специалисти. Фирмите, които предоставят обучение за болногледачи, също допринасят за придобиването на знания, но поради липса или недостатъчна академична подготовка на преподавателите и недостатъчна работа в болнична среда обучението се осъществява за по-кратък период от време и невинаги гарантира придобиване на достатъчно специализирани умения.The increasing need of supporting care of patients in hospitals and of outpatient care requires high quality of services. Therefore, it is necessary for it to be performed by well-trained professionals. For this purpose, as discussed in this article, programmes have been developed to train caregivers and health assistants in different countries around the world. The institutions providing the necessary professional training, medical knowledge and certificates for authorized practice of this profession are specialized medical schools and private companies. Medical school training is carried out by highly qualified medical staff who guarantee the excellence of training and practice in a team with other health professionals. Private companies providing training for caregivers also contribute to the acquisition of knowledge, but due to lack of sufficient academic preparation and inadequate work in hospital environment, the training is performed in a short period of time and does not always guarantee the gain of sufficient specialized skills

Students adaptation to the educational environment - stages and activities

The process of adaptation to the conditions of the university education is important for the successful acquisition of a knowledge and skills for the future profession. Expansion of social behaviour between students, correct relationships with teachers and the formation of the feeling that they are a part of the academic community contribute to greater motivation and ease in the overall process about acquiring new professional competencies. This article presents the development of the understanding of adaptation of students to the educational environment, stages and activities for adaptation to the new academic way of life

Sociodemographic and health profile of institutionalized people aged 65 and over

Introduction: Accommodation for people aged 65 and over in social institutions is often the only opportunity for their physical survival. Revealing the specific characteristics of elderly people living in institutions will help the understanding and satisfaction of their different needs, and hopefully will increase their quality of life.Aim: The aim of this study is to reveal the sociodemographic and health profile of institutionalized people aged 65 and over.Materials and Methods: Sociodemographic and health information for age, gender, education, marital status, diagnosed diseases and mobility for all 175 people aged 65 and over, living in four residential homes in Varna and Provadia was extracted from their records.Results: The most prevalent group among the studied participants is women, and those in the age group 81–85 years. Most of the residents are widowers with upper secondary education. The leading diagnosis among the institutionalized elderly are those from ICD class IX: Diseases of the Circulatory System. Most of the people have limited mobility and use assistive technology (AT). People with normal and limited mobility have an almost equal share, as the first group is 44% and the second—46.3%. The remaining nearly 10% are severely disabled (unable to leave the bed).Conclusion: The sociodemographic and health profile of institutionalised elderly people provides necessary information to health professionals for the health needs of that specific group of the population

Functional recovery after shoulder endoprosthetics in patients aged 65 and over with proximal humerus fractures

Increasing life expectancy is a global demographic trend that calls for increased attention to the health and care of individuals aged 65 and over. With advancing age, mobility decreases, chronic pathology accumulates, and the risk of injuries increases. Among the most serious fractures are those of the proximal humerus, which lead to long-term functional disability. When the fractures are unstable and there is displacement of the fragments, shoulder arthroplasty significantly improves the health outcome. A study was conducted among 68 patients aged 65 years and older undergoing arthroplasty after proximal humerus fractures who received a post-intervention rehabilitation protocol recommended by Hughes & Neer and were observed for one year. Assessment of shoulder function was done using the Constant Shoulder Score (CSS) four times - one, three, six months and one year after the intervention. The results showed that pain level, arm positioning, range of motion, and activities of daily living improved significantly over the observed period, demonstrating the benefit of shoulder arthroplasty for rapid functional recovery in elderly patients

Adaptation For Practice The Midwife Profession In Hospital Conditions

Лечебните заведения за болнична помощ и управлението на здравните грижи в тях са критично зависими от броя, от уменията, от непрекъснатата адаптация и мотивацията на хората, които работят в тях. Процесът на адаптация към условията на болничната трудова среда е от важно значение за успешното усвояване на дейностите по оказване на болнични акушерски грижи, за приемане на отговорностите при практикуване на професията. Проблемът с адаптацията на правоспособните здравни специалисти – акушерки за практикуване в болнични условия, е изключително актуален, предвид оскъдността на трудовите ресурси, текучеството на персонала и голямото натоварване. Особено осезаем е проблемът с адаптацията на новозавършилите акушерки и неспособността им за успешна адаптация в болничните структури.The medical institutions for hospital care and the management of health care in them are critically dependent on the number, skills, continuous adaptation and motivation of people working in them. The process of adapting to the conditions of the hospital working environment is of great importance for successfully mastering of the skills related to the provision of hospital obstetric care, and for accepting the responsibilities in practicing the profession. The problem with the adaptation of qualified health care professionals - midwives to hospital practice is extremely topical, given the scarcity of labor resources, staff turnover and heavy workload. Especially significant is the problem of the adaptation of newly graduated midwives and their inability to adapt to hospital structures

Distribution, mobility and shortage of the global health workforce

Introduction: Health care has been taken since the beginning of the human race. With the development of human civilization, activities are differentiated and professions are distinguished. Aim: The purpose of the article is to present the diversity of health professions, the distribution of the global health workforce, and the deficits impeding the accessibility of health care among the global population. Material and methods: International literary sources and data related to the subject have been analyzed. Results and discussion: Health care work is carried out by persons with different qualifications and professional orientation who perform medical and non-medical activities. The free movement of people in the globalizing world gives health workers the opportunity to realize themselves professionally wherever they want, but at the same time it creates a shortage of certain professions in some regions. The population growth, population ageing as well as the ageing of the health professionals lead to increasing needs for health personnel. Conclusion: Health inequalities in different parts of the world are exacerbating by shortages and uneven distribution of the health workforce