Elderly Care

Elderly care is specialized care that is designed to meet the needs of the elderly at various stages. Similarly, care for the elderly is a relatively broad term, covering everything from nursing to day-care for adults and home-care. Although aging in itself is not a reason to consider caring for the elderly, it is usually the various illnesses and physical limitations associated with aging that lead to the discussion of caring for them.

Elderly care is not a general and pervasive issue and does not apply to all of them. In fact, some older people never need any kind of care to live independently in the last years of their lives. However, caring for the elderly is usually a problem when they have difficulty performing daily activities of life and is unable to perform their daily activities safely and correctly. Everyday activities can include cooking, cleaning, shopping, getting dressed, bathing, driving, taking medicine, and so on.

Decreased health and inability to perform daily activities are often the motivation for caring for the elderly. For example, the aging process usually occurs gradually, which may mean that a person who once remembered to take medicine on time now forgets whether he took his medicine on time or not at all (Has done or not). Decreased eyesight can mean that your older person gradually loses the ability to move around safely at home, and advanced osteoporosis or osteoarthritis can cause him or her to be unable to bathe on his or her own because of the risk of falls and fractures (Bone especially in the pelvic area).

The need for adult care is most acute when, for example, an elderly fracture of the hip joint has recently recovered or has recently had a stroke, resulting in cognitive or physical complications. Family members or a doctor are usually the first to recognize the need to care for the elderly. The type of care for the elderly will depend on the type of health condition and the severity of his inability to perform daily activities. Both the elderly medical team and their relatives should be aware of any changes that may affect their ability to perform their activities without assistance. There are a number of warning signs that an older person may show or may experience in the future that may force you to seek help from others:

Warning signs for the need for care

1. Physical problems such as walking or maintaining balance
2. Problems related to the five senses (loss or reduction of sense of hearing, sight, smell)
3. Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, etc.
4. Temporary or permanent physical limitations that may impair an adult's ability to perform activities.
5. Cognitive problems such as confusion, memory loss, attention problems, forgetting to take medication (the elderly forget whether or not they have taken their medication at all), language and speech problems and dementia
6. Emotional problems such as depression, social withdrawal, loneliness, personality changes (irritability, anger, mood swings, etc.) and loss of interest in activities

Physical problems - Chronic health problems often occur with age and older people are no longer able to perform many of their previous activities. Their bodies may become more fragile, stiff and less resistant than before. Chronic diseases may even cause secondary disorders or new diseases.

Some physical defects related to some diseases may be easily diagnosed but others may not be so. For example, older people with diabetes may not be physically disturbed, but it may cause them to lose or decrease their eyesight, resulting in an accident and a fall, which will definitely affect their health.

Just because an older person does not specifically mention a physical disability does not mean that he or she does not need care. For this reason, a thorough physical examination routine (including vision and hearing) is an important part of an overall health plan.

Emotional problems - Many older people deny the existence or severity of emotional problems, so careful observations by doctors and family members will be more important.

When should we start caring for the elderly?

Elderly care should be discussed as soon as the first changes are seen, as delaying or postponing assistance can endanger the health and safety of the elderly.

Family members and the elderly should consider the following questions to begin with:

• What kind of care is needed for them?
• What kind of care is available?
• What kind of services can be used for care?
• Is it possible to make changes at home or in everyday work to improve the situation, or is it necessary to have the help of an experienced and professional person?
• Can home care be provided or is transfer to a nursing home a better option?
• Are there any financial restrictions on receiving their care services?