Caring For Elderly

Caring for Elderly

Everyone gets old. The real question is how do we care for the people we love in a way that offers them dignity as they age and ensures they feel loved and cared for, while not allowing ourselves to become burned out and frustrated. In the page below we will cover the needs of an elderly person and how we best take care of them.

 

Elderly Persons

 

We all think we know what it means to be an old person, but do we know all the things that come with that? We are going to break down what defines an elderly person. As the world’s population is aging rapidly, it is predicted that over 2 billion people will be over the age of 60. Life expectancy continues to increase and the age of what we consider “elderly” continues to grow. The age at what we consider “old to be is now 70-73. As individuals, age health issues often arise followed by a decline in their mental and physical well-being. This decline can be very stressful for most people and seniors may find it difficult to adapt to these changes. The difficulty for a senior may look like: rejecting home care services or refusing a senior living community. 

Meeting the needs of Elderly Parents 

 

There are many different aspects of aging, this may include biological, psychological, and social factors. Individuals transition through these stages in a variety of ways, but we often see a common trend with the 5 primary stages.

 

1. Independence 
2. Interdependence
3. Dependency
4. Crisis Management
5. End of Life

 

Independence

This stage of adult life often means that a person does not need help with daily activities and they can handle most of their needs on their own. Mental and physical health may still be good but oftentimes starts to slowly decline. This decline does not usually impair a persons day to day life. Of course, there are special situations like illness and injury that could play a major part in the decline of their physical and mental well-being. This stage of adult life is typically between 60-70 years of age.

Interdependence

At this stage of aging physical and mental well-being may be noticeably deteriorating, however taking care of an elderly parent at home is still possible. This stage is when cognitive tasks may be more difficult. When you notice a parent struggling with basic tasks it is a good idea to start discussing in-home care with the family. A caregiver can help these individuals with daily tasks such as cooking, grooming, driving, and medication reminders. This stage of aging individuals is typically between 70-80. 

Dependency

By this stage of aging an aging parent  typically cannot handle their daily tasks independently. Over 30 percent of the U.S. population is 65 + living with a disability. These numbers will increase with chronological age, over 50 percent of seniors aged 75 and older are experiencing some sort of disabling condition. Most aging adults will develop some sort of chronic disease such as:

• Hypertension
• Arthritis 
• Diabetes 
• Dementia 

Most other seniors may experience problems with: mobility, vision, hearing, and a dramatic decrease in quality of life. Most aging adults reach this stage by late 70s- mid-80s.

Crisis Management and End of Life

At these 2 stages of the aging process individuals often need 24-hour care and assistance. Elderly people often stay in their homes with a caregiver, in an assisted living facility, or in hospice care. Senior Home Companions provides 24/7 care for individuals entering the end stages of life. Crisis Management can be difficult for both the senior and the family, so having a plan in place financially and looking at home care providers ahead of time is highly recommended! At SHC we are here to guide you through what this process looks like while matching you with an outstanding caregiver to support you and your loved one during this time. 

If your loved one is in need of 24/7 care please call us @ (317) 251-0441 and a care manager can schedule an assessment as soon as possible to start providing care and peace of mind to your family.

What are ADLs?

When taking care of an aging parent, you will become very familiar with the term ADL which stands for Activities in Daily Living. These are the essentials necessary to your loved one’s physical, and emotional well-being. A typical ADL list will look like this: 

• Self Feeding
• Functional Mobility
• Bathing and Showering 
• Personal Hygiene
• Toilet Hygiene 

You can define an elderly person by evaluating their ability to do the things on this list alone or what they need assistance with. Evaluating the ADLs allows you to find the appropriate amount of help. There may be different levels of assistance including; you becoming a caregiver to help your parent, investing in lifting equipment, mobility equipment, and accessories to help them continue to do their everyday tasks independently. 

Taking care of elderly parents at home

The time has come… your aging parent needs assistance with their daily tasks. A million questions might be running through your mind, do I have to quit my job, do I need to move my parent into my house, am I a terrible child for wanting someone else to help? All of these questions and assumptions are valid, there is no harm and no shame in asking for help! That is why we exist, we know the stress caring for someone in the home can cause, you are busy with work and probably have your own family to take care of! There are many options when it comes to caring for the elderly, luckily you are in the right place!

Aging parents are a lot of work both physically and emotionally. You may find yourself snapping at them more frequently or ending your day exhausted and stressed. This is a much similar feeling to caregiver burnout, when you start to notice these signs within yourself it may be time to seek help from a home care company like us! 

Find the humor in a frustrating situation, sometimes it’s okay to laugh it off! Bring up a family joke in the middle of a heated discussion or take a break and do something fun with your parent. Making the effort to laugh and smile will help you overcome the feelings of wanting to yell or cry. You must remember that it is frustrating and scary for your parent to begin to lose their independence and physical ability. They may be driving you nuts for the rest of their days but you can always manage it with grace and confidence. 

How do I look after my elderly parents at home?`

When your loved one starts aging to the point they need assistance, keeping them in the comfort of their own home is so important. Keeping them in a familiar, safe space will provide both of you with feelings of comfort. When you are thinking about in-home health care it’s important to find a caregiver who is the best match for the client. Luckily, Senior Home Companions is fantastic at matching caregivers and clients! 

If you, the child plans to take care of your aging loved ones in the home, we are here to guide you through the process! First, start an assessment on your loved one and see what type of care they need to receive to determine if you will need assistance from a health care provider. Next, plan out a schedule of what times/days you will be able to provide care. Planning out a set schedule will help you maintain your own life. Next, you will want to make your care regimens centered on the person you are caring for. Encouraging your loved ones to make their own decisions about what type of care they receive and where they would like to receive it is very important in the aging process.

 

Caring for Aging Parents Checklist

You may be asking “What is my responsibility to my aging parents?” or looking for a checklist to help find a place to start when evaluating a parents ability to take care of themselves. We recommend you start with this checklist:

• Investigate caregiver options
• Research your loved one’s condition
• Find activties they enjoy and can still do
• Reach out to Senior Home Companions for a free assessment

Caring for your loved one at home means you have to educate yourself on how to be a caregiver as if you were providing care for someone else’s family member. Start by researching your loved one’s condition and learning more about their symptoms and behaviors. By doing this you will be able to have a better understanding of what they are going through and how to help them. By planning out engaging social, and physical activities you can help improve their cognitive well-being. Find activities they enjoy doing and bring back things they used to be able to do and can no longer do, by assisting them to a minimum. Let the patient take the lead on things they can and can’t do to ensure them that they are still in control. 

After evaluating your loved one, you can now determine if they need in-home care provided by a caregiver. The steps to get there don’t have to be as challenging as you may think. Caring for the elderly can mean many different things, we hope this blog helps clarify how to care for your elderly loved one. If you are looking for care in Indianapolis or Florida, Senior Home Companions can help! Contact us or call us for a free in-home assessment at (317) 251-0441. 

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