This article discusses the applicability of a wellness model to nursing interactions with community based elderly. It has been documented that a majority of the older population have some type of chronic illness. The model is useful in identifying nursing roles which enable nurses to support client's positive self care practices and encourage personal responsibility for wellness behaviors. Nurses who do health assessments with older adults can incorporate the model into their practice so that learned helplessness and a sense of powerlessness can be combatted. A recognition of community programs that foster self determination and promote positive self worth in older persons is also of value in a holistic'perspsctivc to nursing care.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Albert, M. (1987). Health screening to promote health for the elderly . The Nurse Practitioner, 12(5); 42-58.
2.
Ardell, D.B. (1986). High level wellness: An alternative to doctors, drugs, and disease. Berkey. CA: Ten Speed Press.-
3.
Baltes, M.M. & Skinner, E.A. (1983). Cognitive performance deficits and hospitilization: Learned helplessness, insrumental passivity, or what?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45(5), 1013-1016.
4.
Benson, H. (1984). The relaxation response and stress. In J.D. Matarazzo, S.M. Weiss , J.A. Herd, et. al. (Eds.), Behavioral health: A handbook of health enhancement and disease prevention (pp. 326-337). New York: Wiley.
5.
Bernardo, M.L. (1982). A conceptual model of children's cognitive adaptation to physical disability. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 7,595-601.
6.
Blattner, B. (1981). Holistic nursing. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
7.
Bradley, L. (1985). Psychological aspects of arthritis. Bulletin on the Rheumatic Disease, 35(4), 1-12.
8.
Cousins, N. (1981). Anatomy of an Illness. New York: Bantam Books.
9.
Craig, H.M. & Edwards, J.E. (1983). Adaptation in chronic illness: An eclectic model for nurses. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 8. 397-404.
10.
Crate, M.A. (1965). Nursing functions in adaptation to chronic illness . American Journal of Nursing, 65, 72-76.
11.
Garber, J. & Seligman, M. (Eds.) Human helpless. ness: Theory and applications . New York: Academic Press.
12.
Hanusa, B. & Schultz, R. (1977). Attributional mediators of learned helplessness . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.35, 602-611.
13.
Hiroto, D. & Seligman, M. (1975). Generality of learned helplessness in man. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.31, 311-327.
14.
Kutlenios. R.M. (1987). Healing mind and body: A holistic perspective . Journal of Gerontological Nursing.13(12).9-13.
15.
Lenker, S., Liring, K., & Gallagher, D. (1984). Reasons for the lack of association between changes in health behaviors and improved health status: An exploratory study. Patient Counseling and Health Education, 6, 69-72.
May, R. ( 1953). Man's search for himmself. New York : Dell Publishing.
18.
Murphy, S. (1982). Learned helplessness: From concept to comprehension . Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 20(1), 27-32..
19.
National Center for Health Statistics (1981 ). Health Interview Survey, Unpublished.
20.
National Center for Health Statistics (1981 ). Health Interview Survey, Unpublished.
21.
National Commission on Chronic Illness. (1956 ). Chronic illness in the United States—Care of the long-term patient (Vol. 2). Cambridge : Harvard University Press.
22.
Rolland, J. (1987). Chronic illness and the life cycle: A conceptual framework, Family Process, 26, 203-221.
23.
Schulz, R. (1978). The Psychology of death, dying, and bereavement , Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley .
24.
Seligman, M.E. (1975). On Depression, development. and death. San Francisco: Wm. Freeman Co.
25.
Silver, L. & Wortman, C.Coping with undesirable life events. In J. Gaber, M. Seligman, (Eds.) Human Helplessness: Theory and applications. New York: Academic Press.
26.
Simonton, S.M. (1984). The healing family. New York : Bantam Books.
27.
Tamlyn, D. & Caty, S. (1983). Learning from the family, Nursing Mirorr, 10, 20-22.
28.
Travis, J.W. & Ryan, R.S. (1988). The wellness workbook for health professionals (2nd ed.). Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
29.
Viney, L. & Westbrook, M. (1981). Psychological reactions to chronic illness-related disability as function of its severity and type. Journal of Psychosomatic Research.25, 513-23.
