Abstract:
British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, Vol. 4, Iss. 5, 09 May 2008, pp 223 - 229
Spinal cord injury has a catastrophic effect on an individual’s life causing multisystem physiological dysfunctions that lead to a series of complications: medical, physical, psychological, social and financial. These physiological impairments and nonclinical changes remain in a dynamic state for the rest of a person’s life. Owing to medical advances and early interventions the prognosis for a person following a spinal cord injury has improved markedly from nearly certain early death to a survivable disability for the majority who may lead active, productive lives into their 60s and 70s and beyond. Therefore it has become necessary to address the effects of normal ageing on the injuries and lifestyles of people with spinal cord injury. Ageing produces physiological and psychosocial changes in all people, but in people with a spinal cord injury ageing increases the wear and tear that living with such an injury imposes on cardiovascular, metabolic, respiratory, immune, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary and nervous systems, as well as on skin health and psychosocial aspects of ageing. People with a spinal injury need lifelong follow-up, treatment and monitoring by multi- and interdisciplinary teams of health and social care professionals to minimize the complications of ageing with a spinal cord injury.
