ELDERLY CARE TIPS
Feeling immense pressure as your parents' primary caregiver? 3 tips to help elderly maintain daily living skills
When elderlies experience health problems, it often leaves their family members feeling worried and helpless. While children want to fulfil their filial duty, a survey has found that more than 75% of Hong Kong's young families are "dual-income households", meaning that children simply do not have the time to take care of the ailing elderly around the clock. Not to mention that with inadequate nursing knowledge, family members may not be able to fully understand the needs of the elderly. The frustration of not being able to do anything about the situation only adds to the pressure. This article will explore a case study and suggest 3 tips on how you can help your loved ones maintain their self-care ability.
Case study: Dementia, a silent killer of elderlies and their helpless caregivers
“ Society pays little attention to the stress of being a caregiver. Even though it is my responsibility to take care of my father, I feel overwhelmed by all the nursing tasks. ”
Uncle Leung's daughter added, "As time goes by, my mood deteriorates and I often suffer from insomnia and excessive worrying. Sometimes I blame my father's illness, and resent my brother and mother for not being able to share the burden."
3 stages of aging: paying attention to different care needs
Uncle Leung's story reveals the life problems that elderlies face during the course of their illness, as well as the state of confusion and helplessness of caregivers in their caring roles. Here are the 3 major stages of aging and what caregivers should focus on.
3 tips to help elderlies build routine memory
After listening to Uncle Leung's story, we suggest that family members should be aware of the elderly's health needs and intervene at an early stage to strengthen and stabilize their self-care abilities. The following are 3 objectives on how you can train your loved ones in habituation, mobility and perceptual memory.
Tip 1: Maintain personal hygiene
| Self-care task | Potential risks if the elderly lacks self-care skills | Caregiver assistance tips | Professional care support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washing up | - Difficulty standing up or tendency to fall; inability to control hand muscles to brush teeth, increasing the risk of oral disease | - Remind the elderly of common washing up tips and assist them when needed | - If needed, install assistive devices to allow the elderly to sit while washing up |
| Personal hygiene | - Inadequate cleansing may lead to bacterial growth and infection | - Assist the elderly in bathing | - Seek home care services to help with bathing, changing, etc. |
| Urination and defecation | - Unaccompanied toilet visits may increase the chance of falling; uncontrolled urination and defecation | - Schedule consistent toilet breaks (eg: every 2 hours during the day) to train the bladder's physiological clock; try not to allow the elderly to drink more than 250cc of water after 8:00 pm | - Install assistive devices to enhance safety at home (eg: raised toilet seats) |
Tip 2: Maintain muscle activity level
| Self-care task | Potential risks if the elderly lacks self-care skills | Caregiver assistance tips | Professional care support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Going outdoors | - Higher chance of falling or injuring; more likely to get lost if the elderly suffers from dementia | - Arrange outdoor activities in regular intervals (eg: 20-minute walks); encourage walks during the day to get some sunshine | - Healthcare workers can assist with daily living activities |
| Home mobility | - Loss of muscle mass, increasing the chance of falling and having poorer mental health | - Get up and move around every 1 or 2 hours instead of sitting down all the time; encourage the elderly to do light exercise at home | - Healthcare workers can remind the elderly to be more active and provide exercise training |
Tip 3: Improve perception and memory
| Self-care task | Potential risks if the elderly lacks self-care skills | Caregiver assistance tips | Professional care support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eating | - Difficulty in swallowing can cause of loss of appetite, nutritional deficiencies, aspiration pneumonia and dehydration | - Train swallowing ability, let the elderly chew in small bites and eat in small and frequent meals; consume nutritious foods such as chicken breast and salmon | - Healthcare workers can help with the elderly's daily routine (eg: manage medications) |
| Changing | - Stiffness in dressing or undressing postures may cause muscle cramps and sprains | - Prepare the elderly's outfit in advance, choose lightweight and fitting clothes | - Nurses can provide cognitive training for elderlies with dementia |
Caregivers often find it difficult to cope with the aging process. If you are unsure of what kind of assistance or care your loved ones need, seek professional help. Evercare's health assessment can help family members understand the situation and needs of the elderly more comprehensively.
Looking for reliable support? In-home caregivers can provide daily elderly care
Many families in Hong Kong employ domestic helpers to take care of their elderlies apart from just doing household chores. However, as elderlies have specific and complex care needs, you should re-evaluate whether you should entrust this important responsibility to your domestic helper. Especially for elderlies with medical conditions, it is recommended that you seek professional assistance. In recent years, home care has become a reliable option for families seeking elderly care. Evercare can arrange attentive and personalized
home care services for your loved ones. Below are our 3 most popular care options.
To make it easier for you to find the right care for your loved ones, Evercare has care specialists who can understand your needs and provide personalized care plans. Make a free consultation appointment and receive professional advice.
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