Compare and contrast the age-related changes of the older person you interviewed and assessed with those identified in this week’s reading assignment. Identify at least 4–6 preliminary issues.

The current literature and Gregory’s interview response shared similarities in age-related changes observed between the two components. Similar preliminary issues observed include Gait, balance, and stability changes, independence functionality changes, performance activity changes, and safety evaluation changes. First, the Gait, balance, and stability changes issue. Fall is essential to the Gait, balance, and stability issues. Moreover, most old-age people suffer from the fall problem (Parveen & Noohu, 2017, p. 30). Hence, this sky rocks the costs related to the falls, such as surgery, the equipment required, the hospitalization bill, and rehabilitation. Again, both the interview and the current literature share this issue.

Furthermore, the costs related to physical, personal, and emotional support significantly affect elderly individuals. Falls are estimated to result in serious injuries leading to disabilities, death, and high healthcare costs for aged individuals. Fall incidences increase with the increase in old age. The population older than 65 can fall at least once a year.

The Tinetti balance and Gait evaluation is a methodology developed to measure Gait and balance, especially in the older generations.

Furthermore, the scale was developed to measure the elderly individuals’ balance and stability while undertaking physical activities. The Gait and balance mainly consider the abnormal knee extension and inability to turn during walking observed in old age. The lack of Gait and harmony among the elderly indicates health problems primarily associated with a lack of strength in the elderly knees. Second, independence functionality changes. The functionality changes in the older population are evident through the frequent health problems depicted. There is support from both the interview response questions and the current literature. The Katz index of independence in daily living activities explains the functionality changes. The Katz ADL tool is used as the primary instrument to assess the functional status of older people in their ability to undertake their activities independently. Most health practitioners use the tool to detect problems associated with performing activities in their daily living (Mlinac & Feng, 2016, p. 510).

Moreover, the tool index rank is based on the six performance functions: bathing, dressing, transferring, feeding, and continence. The tool ranks the elderly ability to perform the six tasks on a yes and no. Notably, a score of six will indicate that the older adult is fully functional, a score of four will indicate moderate impairment, and a score of two and below shows that the person suffers from severe functional impairment. The current literature and the interview response depict a similar trend in the functionality decline in the elderly population.

Gregory, the interviewee, stated that he experienced a reduced functionality problem in the activities, identical to the current literature within the Karl ADL tool. Third, home safety evaluation changes. The contemporary literature supports assessing the elderly living environment, with the primary goal of improving home safety for older people. The primary motivation of the safety evaluation is maintaining a balance between the patient and the environment, with the end goal being to minimize injuries to the elderly while they are home.