Caring for the Elderly
Diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and cancer among other chronic diseases have become more prevalent to the older population. This has meant that the old have to receive the best medical care in order to beat the diseases. Even with the advent of medical technologies and medicine to treat these diseases, long term care among the old is necessary to ensure care. In the care facilities for the old, there are reports of abuse from the caregivers given that they face a number of challenges in administering care. Many people face difficulties taking care of the old and they sometimes opt to place the old in caring facilities. But with reports of abuse in these facilities, it becomes a dilemma for those people making decisions. It should be noted that when the old contract these chronic diseases, it is when they need our help the most. It is our responsibility to ensure that the old in the caring facilities are provided with the most basic needs (food, shelter and clothing). Additionally, we must ensure that they are taken care of by people that treat them with dignity and show compassion towards them. The old age need to feel that they belong when they near the end of their life (Windmill, 1992). In caring for the aged, a challenge always crops in when they show signs of mental illnesses such as dementia which causes memory loss. As a result of such diseases, the old can do nothing and have to rely on other people to make key decisions about their lives. In such cases, caring for the elderly can be troublesome and hence the need of placing them in a caring facility where they will feel more appreciated and give them a chance to socialize.
All over the world, many elderly people are not receiving proper medical attention and care. This is as a result of having no one to take care of them, the high financial repercussions associated with their care especially when they are place in caring facilities and negative cultural traditions among many other reasons (Windmill, 1992). In the USA, for example, the rising cost of healthcare, scarcity of care facilities that provide the best care and the increase in life expectancy has contributed to the lack of proper care for a majority of the elderly population. Some of these reasons put most families at a tough spot on how to effectively ensure the best care for their old ones. Many families face the financial burden and hence cannot afford the best care for the elderly. Another big issue that families face is whether the elderly will accept to live in these caring facilities as many have refused to be cared for in such places.
A number of interventions exist to ensure that the elderly are accorded the best care. One of the very best intervention strategies is to ensure that the elderly participate in the decision making process (Jordan, 1999). Many a times, the elderly have not been allowed to make their decisions simply because of their frail state. However, they should be given the opportunity to make decisions as it directly affects their health. Families should only make decisions for them in cases where they are incapable such as when they develop mental illnesses. Doing so greatly relieves the stress that many caregivers and the elderly face in the course of treatments (A Place for a Mom, 2016). The elderly sometimes may not be comfortable with being cared for in the caring facilities and hence may have problems adjusting to the new environment. Failure to factor in the opinion of the elderly may lead to their rejection of the facilities and hence cause problems to the caregivers. Another key intervention method is to make sure that the type of care that the elderly receive is the most appropriate and affordable. Many families face the financial burden in taking care of their elderly family members. However, factoring in their financial situation, they can be able to select the most affordable caring facility. If it is possible to administer care to them at their home, that will be good as their progress can be monitored closely. Choosing the best affordable caring facility will alleviate the financial burden that many families face.
Caring for the elderly is very demanding and very expensive. Families face a number of difficulties trying to care for their elderly family members. In most cases, a caring facility is usually the best option to take care of an elderly family member. Families must take into account their financial situation and the quality of care being offered at caring facilities before admitting their loved ones. This will ensure that they do not face a tax burden and also better quality care for their family members (Lechner & Neal, 1999). At the end of the day, better quality care is what the elderly deserve and desire, and families must ensure that they are not denied that in any case.
References
A Place for a Mom (2016). Caring for elderly parents: Managing role-reversal. (2015, April 9). Retrieved March 8, 2016, from A Place for a Mom.
http://www.aplaceformom.com/senior-care-resources/articles/caring-for-elderly-parents
Jordan, G.. (1997). Care-giving in dementia. London: Routledge.
Lechner, V. M., & Neal, M. B. (1999). Work and caring for the elderly: International perspectives. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner/Mazel.
Windmill, V. (1992). Caring for the elderly. London: Pitman.
