PROPER ELDERLY CARE OR GERIATRIC CARE:
Aging is a phase of life and everyone has to go through it. The number of elderly people is increasing and with it, the need for a proper understanding of age-related problems is increasing too so that proper elderly care can be given to them.
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR AGED PEOPLE – 1st OCTOBER
Elderly people are more vulnerable to different types of diseases, infections, injuries, eyesight problems, depression, and many other types of problems.
There is a saying that aged people require similar care just like newborn babies. It is important to understand them and their need so that we can give proper elderly care.
We will discuss today some of the problems through which aged people go through and what can be done to make them comfortable, happy, and healthy.
1) UNDERSTANDING THE AGEING PROCESS: As the person starts getting old, the body undergoes many changes and one of the changes is slow reaction time. So it takes time for them to understand or do any work which a young person can do quickly. In this condition person, they need extra care and sometimes supervision for work like crossing the road, climbing the stairs, and other similar works to protect them from any injuries.
2) LONELINESS: In today’s fast-paced world, everyone lacks time and in all this, old people sometimes feel alone. So it’s important to spend some time with them and talk to prevent them from feeling lonely.
3) BALANCED DIET: It is important to eat a proper and balanced diet for aged people with vegetables and fruits included in the diet to get proper nutrition. The fatty, oily, or heavy diet will be difficult to digest.
4) ROUTINE HEALTH CHECK-UP: Proper health check-up is needed to be performed routinely so that any disease can be diagnosed and treated early. cardiac monitoring is especially needed to prevent any serious life-threatening condition.
5) MEDICINE: If suffering from any disease like hypertension, diabetes then they should be given medicines properly to keep the disease under control. The uncontrolled co-morbid condition can lead to serious complications which can be life-threatening.
6) PROMOTING HOBBY: Geriatric people should be encouraged to keep themselves engaged in a hobby like gardening, walking, reading, or any other activity so that they can enjoy their time and be happy.
7) PROPER CLOTHES: weather like winter can be difficult for them as they will find it difficult to tolerate even mild temperature drops. It is important for them to wear good warm clothes so that winter-related conditions like cough, cold, or fever can be prevented.
8) FOOT CARE: It is especially important for diabetic people as the sensory system in the foot does not function properly and they will be not able to feel pain from ulcers in the foot which can lead to serious infection.
9) PROPER SHOE AND SLIPPERS: Old shoes can be dangerous as they can cause slipping on the wet floor and aged people can find it difficult to control their body which can lead to falling. Fractures in the bone are more common in old people and are also difficult to unite.
10) EYE CARE: With an increase in age, eye problem is quite common in old age people and it can also progress to cataract which requires surgery to restore the vision. proper spectacles can help them watch clearly.
11) BED SORES: This is very common in bed-ridden patients as they keep lying in one position which causes extra pressure on the skin of the dependent part of the body and it can slowly lead to ulcer formation which can get infected and difficult to manage. Bedsore can be prevented by proper changing of position by the medical staff and keeping the dependent area dry by using talcum powder.
12) ADULT DIAPER: Sometimes geriatric people lose control over the bladder and can feel embarrassed about it. They should be encouraged to use adult diapers to feel free.
13) YOGA AND WALKING: If possible then they should be encouraged to indulge in some form of exercise like yoga and walking which can help in improving the health and can also help to decrease extra weight.
14) DENTAL CARE: It is also an important part of aged people’s care as dental problems are very common in them which can lead to difficulty in chewing food and they can eat less which can make them weak. So dental visits are also important.
Different people have different needs and mindsets, so it’s important for the people taking care of the aged people to understand the need of the person and try to help them as much as possible so that they enjoy life.
STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE.
