303 Nursing Care of the Postmenopausal Woman, 3rd Edition
| NURSING CONSIDERATION
Table 3-3 Ways to Reduce Stress and Maintain Calm ● Exercise : Take a walk, join an exercise class, or take a water aerobics class. ● Eat well : Eat three nutritious meals every day along with healthy snacks. Include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and yogurt. ● Avoid caffeine and alcohol : Herbal iced tea is good for hot flashes if they are bothersome. Alcohol interferes with sleep quality. ● Talk : Share your thoughts and concerns with a good friend, family member, or healthcare provider. Seek counseling if necessary. ● Sleep : Sleep is necessary to function well during waking hours. Most adults require six to nine hours of sleep per night. ● Relax : Learn a simple deep breathing or positive thinking meditation through books, CDs, apps, or other technologies. Sometimes just a few deep breaths will help you to relax. ● Pamper yourself : Every so often, treat yourself to something you enjoy. A manicure, pedicure, or massage can be just what you need. Find time to read or listen to music. ● Enjoy : Find time to laugh and smile at others and at yourself. Note. Adapted from North American Menopause Society. (2022). Stress: Getting serious about solutions. meno- pause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/mental-health-at- menopause/stress-getting-serious-about-solutions
Nurses should assess a woman’s current ability to carry out activities of daily living and educate her on self- management of her health, as appropriate. Nurses should be alert for signs that a woman’s functional status is changing, particularly women with chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Providing appropriate education on disease management and offering resources to assist the woman in any challenges she may be facing is of critical importance. The nurse can also assist the woman in talking to her family and provider about any fears or concerns that she might have. Disability The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as a “person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one of more major life activity.” This includes people who have a record of such an im- pairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individ- uals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on their associa- tion with a person with a disability (ADA, 2022). People with disabilities are frequently victims of discrimination, which is a hu- man rights issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion people around the world live with some type of disability, and the number is increasing dramatically due to an in- crease in chronic health conditions and other causes (WHO, 2021). Even with the
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