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Caring for Older People

The increasing likelihood of illness in old age means that older people tend to spend more and more time at home, perhaps in bed. Many families with aging relatives can obtain practical advice and assistance from local community health agencies.

Ask your own physician about health services that may be available in your community.

Food

The appetite of an elderly person who is ill will probably be small. It is therefore important that the food that is served be nutritious. Each day give at least one meal that includes high-protein foods such as meat, cheese, fish, or eggs, about half a pint of milk, and some high-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, or bran cereal. Unless there is a medical reason not to, encourage the person to drink plenty of liquids to avoid dehydration.

Modifying the home environment

With more people over age 80, and more people with Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of senile dementia, families may need to modify their home or that of an older friend or relative living alone nearby.

First, make changes to help prevent falls. To prevent fires, make sure that electrical cords are not frayed and sockets are not overloaded. Also, a large sign in the kitchen with a reminder to turn off the stove is often helpful.

For someone who has memory problems or is disoriented, consider a wrist bracelet with the person’s name, address, and telephone number so that someone can help him or her get home again if he or she wanders away. Designate a special place to keep items that are frequently misplaced, including keys, pill bottles, and eyeglasses.

A large calendar with large numbers can be used to keep track of days of the week, and the older person can check off each day as a means of orientation. If the elderly person is living in a home with many doors on a hallway, and this seems confusing, you can paint his or her door a special color—or perhaps the bathroom door, if that becomes hard to locate at night. It’s also important to provide a night-light in the bathroom and any hall the person might use at night.

An electronic monitoring system can summon help in an emergency via a telephone connection. These systems are voice-activated so that the older person can call for emergency assistance even if he or she has become immobilized.

To keep your aging family member comfortable at home, make sure that he or she takes all necessary medications on schedule. A large pillbox divided by day of the week can help the person keep track of when to take which medications. Adequate nutrition is also vital; many seniors living alone subsist on “junk food” to the detriment of their general health.

Family members should also monitor personal hygiene, making sure that the elderly person takes a bath regularly; also, check on bladder and bowel control and provide adult-type diapers if necessary.

You may need to visit someone with dementia who lives alone each day to help him or her with meals, baths, and medications. (Or you may be able to hire a home health aide to visit and care for the person each day.)

Your local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association can offer additional suggestions about the long-term care of a person with dementia. It is vital for the health of both caregiver and patient that caregivers with major responsibilities for an older person find ways to take a break from their duties.

SBI!