Health & Wellness

According to the CDC, 93% of Americans aged 65 and older live with at least one chronic condition. Nearly 79% are managing two or more at the same time. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, diabetes; these aren’t rare diagnoses in later life. They’re the baseline.

In Northeast Ohio, the numbers hit closer to home. Cuyahoga County’s 65-and-over population already makes up 19% of its residents, compared with roughly 17% nationally. The demand for healthcare providers who genuinely understand aging isn’t a projection here. It’s already real. And the providers best trained to meet that demand are adult gerontology nurse practitioners (AGNPs), advanced practice clinicians whose entire education centers on the health of adults and older adults. Programs like Spring Arbor University’s online MSN adult gerontology NP program prepare these practitioners with the clinical depth that older patients’ care requires.

So what does an AGNP actually do, how do they differ from the nurse practitioner you might already know and why should Northeast Ohio pay attention?

What an AGNP Does and Who They’re Trained to Help

An adult gerontology nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse with a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing, specifically focused on the health of patients from adolescence through the end of life. Their training goes deep into the conditions most common among adults over 55, and their scope of practice reflects that depth.

Per the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, AGNPs are qualified to:

• Diagnose and treat acute and chronic conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, COPD and heart disease
• Prescribe medications and manage complex medication regimens
• Order, perform and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests
• Coordinate care across specialists and care settings
• Educate patients and families on managing aging-related health conditions

Adult-Gerontology is one of six recognized population foci under the APRN Consensus Model, and according to 2024 data from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, there are 38,672 board-certified AGNPs across the country (11,477 in primary care and 27,195 in acute care).

Aging in place sounds simple in theory: you just clear the clutter, add some holding rails. Well, that and if you stay in the home that already feels familiar and just keep the routine the same, it won’t be bad at all. Plus, you keep the neighbors, keep the “everything is exactly where it’s always been” comfort. Yeah, okay, that part is genuinely nice. 

But of course, the house still has to cooperate. And a lot of homes were not built with sore knees, balance issues, or, well, struggling to walk up some stairs. So, how can you make aging in your home a little less stressful?

You Need to Fix the Fall Risks First

Alright, so most aging-in-place stress comes down to one thing: avoiding a fall. A fall can turn a normal day into weeks of recovery, appointments, and rearranged life plans. So honestly, it’s worth being a little obsessive about this part. Ideally, it’s going to be for the best here to just go ahead and start with the basics that actually matter. And what would that be? Well, it helps to have handrails on both sides of stairs, not the wobbly kind that look decorative (yes, those actually exist). Ideally, look into better lighting in hallways, staircases, and entrances, because dim lighting is basically an invitation for missteps. 

Plus, floors should be safe too, meaning no loose rugs sliding around like they own the place, and no uneven thresholds that catch a toe. Carpet is one of the best materials for preventing falls as it provides grip, plus it provides a soft landing in the event you do fall. Hard floors on the other hand can get slippery and may do little to cushion a fall. All of this probably sounds super basic and super generic, but it still helps to know these things and actually make the changes so your home can be safer.