How to Look After People in Their Old Age
In this day and age, there are many people out there that think the elder generation - whether they are grandparents, relatives or friends of the family - belongs in homes for the elderly. However studies aplenty show that contrary to popular opinion, old people's homes are more detrimental than they are conducive to the health and well-being of senior citizens. For this reason alone it is preferable to nurse the elderly in their homes. Granted, this might seem difficult if you have no experience taking care of the older generation, but on the flip side you might find it rewarding in how it could bring you closer to your elders. If you decide to give it a try, consider how you are to accomplish it in the following fields:
Many old people have ailments that prevent them from taking care of housework and other daily activities on their own. You could do this for your elders yourself if you have got the time to spare, but if you have got a full-time job or kids on your hand, you probably cannot commit to doing so that often. If that is the case, you could check with local nursing homes or volunteer organizations to see if there are people that could drop by to help with, say, cooking or cleaning on a daily basis. Here is also where you could find people to help with medical care in the home, should your elders be in need of it.
Emotional care pertains to making your elders feel loved and appreciated, and is just as important as physical needs (if not even more so). At its most basic, this should be ensuring that you do not make them feel as if they are a burden to you, but better yet is if you take the time to make social calls rather than just visiting when they happen to need help. Just listening to the stories of their youth over a coffee or playing a card or board game that they enjoy with them every now and then could be enough to fulfill their social needs. Alternatively you could look for an old people's community for elders with similar interests, be it dancing or card games or reminiscing. However first you ought to make sure that it is something your elders feels comfortable attending, as you do not want them to feel like they are being dumped there so as to get out of your way.
In short, your elders will have a happier life if you arrange for them to be cared for in their home instead of in a nursing home or the like. Whether you take care of them full-time or get outside help is irrelevant, but regardless of which you should make sure that their physical and emotional needs are properly catered to.
Many old people have ailments that prevent them from taking care of housework and other daily activities on their own. You could do this for your elders yourself if you have got the time to spare, but if you have got a full-time job or kids on your hand, you probably cannot commit to doing so that often. If that is the case, you could check with local nursing homes or volunteer organizations to see if there are people that could drop by to help with, say, cooking or cleaning on a daily basis. Here is also where you could find people to help with medical care in the home, should your elders be in need of it.
Emotional care pertains to making your elders feel loved and appreciated, and is just as important as physical needs (if not even more so). At its most basic, this should be ensuring that you do not make them feel as if they are a burden to you, but better yet is if you take the time to make social calls rather than just visiting when they happen to need help. Just listening to the stories of their youth over a coffee or playing a card or board game that they enjoy with them every now and then could be enough to fulfill their social needs. Alternatively you could look for an old people's community for elders with similar interests, be it dancing or card games or reminiscing. However first you ought to make sure that it is something your elders feels comfortable attending, as you do not want them to feel like they are being dumped there so as to get out of your way.
In short, your elders will have a happier life if you arrange for them to be cared for in their home instead of in a nursing home or the like. Whether you take care of them full-time or get outside help is irrelevant, but regardless of which you should make sure that their physical and emotional needs are properly catered to.
