Taking care of the elderly requires good will and willingness. Unless you have a serious illness and it requires special attention, making life easier for an older person doesn’t require exceptional skill.
It is important to clarify that this care is about helping you feel comfortable and loved, as well as helping to make some daily activities easier for you. This may sound simple, but it’s all about patience and responsibility.
When aged care also involves some basic nursing tasks, It is important to be well informed and to look for methods that facilitate the task. It is very rewarding to contribute to the well-being of the elderly and it pays off the efforts.
Taking care of the elderly
Elderly care focuses on 3 fronts. The first is personal care, which includes taking care of yourself, dressing, eating and exercising. The second corresponds to health care, which includes the taking of medicines and doctor visits.
The third front corresponds to emotional care and is the one that concentrates the greatest number of errors. This is a challenging field, as older people are often stubborn in some respects or have symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Overall, there are many activities and it is a difficult task. However, it becomes more difficult if you don’t have the right attitude. This not only helps to make work less tiring, but also creates a positive and collaborative environment for the elderly.
Mistakes to avoid when caring for the elderly
There are some common mistakes in elder care. The indicated thing is to avoid them to prevent difficulties and perform the task fully. Among the most frequent breakdowns are the following.
1. Not being adequately informed
It is important to have good information about aging patterns in general and about the individual in particular. As for the first, there are common aspects to this phase of life. Being enlightened in this sense helps to understand the needs of the assisted person.
Furthermore, every older adult has their own characteristics. Desires, projects, temperaments, difficulties and limits are very particular. Knowing them makes work easier.
2. Lack of planning
It pays to plan very well all activities related to care for the elderly. One of the most frequent mistakes is not establishing consistent routines. A good plan gives security to the elderly.
The plan must include feeding, physical and playful activity programs. Likewise, the dates and times of drug intake and medical appointments must be detailed. Also special dates and departures if you are in a nursing home.
3. Impatience
An older adult’s slowness in carrying out some activities can irritate the caregiver, especially if there is a lot to do and little time. Likewise, that person may be stubborn with the minutiae or have a hostile attitude at some point.
Taking care of the elderly requires a lot of patience.. You have to be prepared for those tense situations and handle them smartly. It is convenient to do everything on time and not overload the routine. The best thing to do is keep calm.
4. Excess attendance
It is necessary to understand that good care is not synonymous with overprotection. Part of the tasks is to help the other to preserve the greater autonomy possible. Therefore, it is convenient to encourage him to do himself anything that does not require assistance.
In this regard it is important to have good communication with your doctor. He will determine what specific limitations an older adult has. Sometimes, that person thinks he can’t do something, when in fact he has the ability to do it.
5. Ignore complaints
An important part of caring for the elderly is listening skills. While it is true that some seniors have a tendency to complain, it is also true that these complaints involve needs that have not been met.
Complaints are not to be ignored. It is also important to learn how to interpret them. Sometimes they are the result of anxiety or sadness and just listening to them can make that person feel better.
6. Fall prevention
Falls are one of the latent risks faced by the elderly. Many times this risk is only recognized when it is too late. Falls are usually very serious situations.
It is best to prevent them. Part of caring for the elderly is making sure they use the correct footwear, that all areas are well lit, with non-slip mats and safety bars in the bathroom. You also need to help them maintain muscle strength in their legs.
7. Communication errors
It’s not uncommon for an older adult to suddenly say something that doesn’t make sense. Or to make sure something is true, when it’s obviously not. In those cases, It’s not a good idea to argue with them..
Likewise, it is common for these people to have listening problems or sometimes not find a way to make themselves understood clearly. You must always stay calm, speak loudly and with good vocalization.
8. Lack of isstimulation
Taking care of the elderly means not only preventing health problems or accidents, but also contributing to a better quality of life and overall well-being. This means engaging in activities that provide them with adequate intellectual and emotional stimulation.
We must not forget the importance of going out with them in places where they feel comfortable. If possible, encourage socialization with family or people of their age. Likewise, engaging in pleasurable activities, such as gardening, crafts, or reading.
Useful advice for the care of the elderly
Some of the actions that can be taken to facilitate care for the elderly are as follows:
- Prepare a diagnosis of needs: Establishing what that person needs is helpful for later designing an action plan.
- Making family arrangements: what is indicated is that each family member bears a share of the responsibility.
- Develop a safety plan: It consists of making an inventory of possible risks and establishing an action plan against each of them.
- Motivate Hobby Adoption: these are very good for older adults.
- Help you maintain social contacts: it is good to contact close people from time to time to avoid isolation.
- Have occasional details: An older person will appreciate that the person who cares for them has special details from time to time.
- Highlight strengths and capabilities: it is important to highlight all that he is capable of doing and celebrate his successes.
Caregivers of the elderly have to take care of themselves
It is clear that caring for the elderly is a challenging task. Anyway, can be made easier with good planning. However, the carer must also preserve their space and periodically take breaks or rest from their work.
You need to be aware that an older person is in a natural phase of losing their skills and abilities. The caregiver can help slow this, but not prevent it.
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