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“My mother always used to say, ‘The older you get, the better you get. Unless you’re a banana.’”
—Betty White (1922-2021)
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LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this chapter, readers will be able to:
8-1. Summarize metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its relationship to cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
8-2. Describe the relationship between MetS and aging with respect to CVD, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic conditions.
8-3. Compare different theories and practice frameworks that can be applied to addressing health and wellness interventions in older adults.
8-4. Discuss lifestyle factors and how they can be addressed through self-management treatments for older adults.
8-5. Select appropriate, evidence-based practice interventions to address lifestyle factors in older adults.
8-6. Analyze the role of occupational therapy working with interprofessional colleagues to address health and wellness goals in older adults.
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Mini Case Study
Mr. Jenkins is a 68-year-old non-Hispanic white male. He has been overweight since childhood. He has smoked occasionally since his teens and is a social drinker. He separated from his wife 14 years ago and is estranged from his two adult children. He is in a positive relationship with a 70-year-old widower, Mike. Mr. Jenkins has severe arthritis in his knees, has uncontrolled hypertension, and is prediabetic. He drives a delivery truck part-time, which requires him to sit for prolonged periods of time and drive in dense urban traffic. He reports that he relaxes with a beer or two in front of the television when he gets home from work until he goes to bed. He also complains of sleep disturbances and has been diagnosed with sleep apnea. He reports that, due to his work conditions and sleeping issues, cooking meals for himself is a challenge and ordering takeout multiple times a week is more manageable.
Provocative Questions
What factors contribute to Mr. Jenkins’s deconditioning and poor health?
Even without an exercise intervention, what benefit do you think addressing each unhealthy lifestyle behavior might have on his functional capacity?
How might you go about involving his partner into an exercise program for Mr. Jenkins?
How would you address his concern about cooking meals for himself?
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Metabolic conditions are a growing burden worldwide. Although prevention and treatment approaches have demonstrated considerable progress, these conditions continue to be a major public health problem globally. Lifestyle-related factors such as smoking, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity are major contributors to metabolic conditions, and interprofessional approaches are needed to lessen the risk of cardiometabolic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers, and some gastrointestinal conditions. This chapter will address: (1) the metabolic system as it relates to typical age-related changes and atypical changes, (2) major health conditions influenced by MetS, (3) examples of theories and practice frameworks related to addressing metabolic conditions in older adults, (4) implications for treatment in older adults, and (5) an interprofessional approach to addressing metabolic conditions in this population.
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