What Does The Nursing Care Of Elderly Patients Entail?

Nursing care for elderly patients contains a wide range of services conducted by many different healthcare professionals. From hospital to home care, the range of services are going to look a bit different.

What Is The Role Of A Community Health Nurse Or Geriatric Nurse?

A community health nurse can be employed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities. You will also find geriatric nurses in the home healthcare setting. While the specific nature of their duties can vary depending on their type of work, their primary job functions include:

Working directly with other healthcare professionals to meet patients’ needs.
Providing direct patient care, such as administering medications and inserting catheters.
Planning for ongoing care needs while guiding families through the process.

The role of a community in-home health nurse may vary, but they are typically responsible for administering various patient care services outside of the traditional healthcare setting. They may provide supportive care, teach patients about managing their conditions, assist in rehabilitation efforts, and help with activities related to daily living. Home health nurses may help with patients’ basic needs, such as bathing, meal preparation, and the creation of a nutrition plan. They may also focus on providing support to those who need it for specific conditions, such as wound care.

Community nurses are generally trained to interact well with elderly patients. They should always establish respect right away while making the elderly patient feel comfortable. They are trained to avoid interruption and use active listening skills. They also try to avoid using medical jargon and aim to be as clear as possible while demonstrating empathy for the patient.

This type of care can be the perfect solution for families who need help with an elderly loved one but aren’t ready to utilize an assisted living facility.

What Are The Basic Requirements For Elderly Care?

There are a few basic principles when it comes to nursing care of the elderly. An elderly individual should have access to food, water, shelter, clothing and health care. Even though this may sound simple, as people age, they tend to need assistance in one or more of these areas.

When considering care for an older adult, it is important to go through a checklist to see what type of care they need to receive. This resource on the nursing care of elderly patients can help you determine what level of care your elderly loved one may need.

When Does Your Elderly Loved One Need Geriatric Nursing Care?

Geriatric nurses care for the elderly, which means they are very used to treating common chronic conditions in adults 65 and above. Some of these chronic conditions include hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, Ischemic Heart Disease, diabetes, kidney disease, heart failure, depression, and Alzheimers.

Geriatric nurses tend to step in with in-home or facility care once caring for an elderly family member has become impossible for the family. It can be difficult to determine when you need the help of professionals to take care of your loved one, but here are a few factors to consider when deciding whether this help is needed.

Your current work/life balance level.
The roles of others in the family care plan.
What type of care does your elderly loved one really need?
What is your level of physical, emotional, and financial health?
Is your elderly loved one in agreement with a caregiving arrangement?

Do You Need Help Caring For Your Elderly Loved One?

Researching elderly care options can be overwhelming. At Senior Home Companions, we would like to alleviate that burden and get you the best care solution for your aging loved one. The first step to finding help for your aging relatives is by reaching out and asking questions. Contact us today! Call 317.251.0441 to talk to a member of our care management team who can set up an assessment to evaluate the level of care your loved one may need.