There are three basic aspects when taking care of an elderly person at home, or resorting to a nursing home. In this blog we explain how to make the decision, and what you should take into account.
What tasks does a caregiver for the elderly carry out?
To choose between a caregiver or a residence, you must first ask yourself what your family member needs, and how you can provide them with the care they need. In cases such as Alzheimer's or dementia, the best option is to have various specialized caregivers at home, or go directly to a specialized center.
If we opt for a caregiver for the elderly, the needs of our father or mother will define the profile we will need to hire: A nurse, a person specialized in cleaning and hygiene needs, someone to accompany them...
Below we show you some of the most common situations:
- Health care, and monitoring of medical treatment: It is important to ensure that a patient maintains good adherence to medical treatment, so the caregiver for the elderly, whether at home or residence, must ensure that weekly medication is perfectly organized, or performs the necessary cures, among other tasks.
- Hygiene and daily care:Â On many occasions, the elderly have problems carrying out tasks as simple as showering, dressing, or tying their shoes. Therefore, caregivers of elderly people take care of these basic needs and help them with routine tasks.
- Errands, and help with specific tasks:It is possible that an elderly person can take care of himself, but needs reinforcement to accompany him in his daily life. Whether to carry out paperwork, accompany you to a medical appointment, and even go to the supermarket.
- Accompaniment:Currently, it is estimated that half of elderly people with telecare call to talk “for a little while.†That is why both the residences and the caregivers provide a few hours of entertainment that the elderly would not be able to enjoy if they did not have this service.
- Health care, and monitoring of medical treatment: It is important to ensure that a patient maintains good adherence to medical treatment, so the caregiver for the elderly, whether at home or residence, must ensure that weekly medication is perfectly organized, or performs the necessary cures, among other tasks.
If you consider that to properly care for an elderly person you need all of the points mentioned, you may need a comprehensive service like that offered by nursing homes.
On the contrary, you can also have in-house caregivers for the elderly, or consider hiring various professionals, so that they can take care of all the tasks that your family member needs.
Degrees of dependency of an elderly person
At the moment In Spain there are 3 types of degrees of dependency, differentiated based on the care that each elderly person presents. There may also be the case of needing help with a child or family member with specific needs.
In order to continuously monitor and measure each of these situations, a dependency evaluation is performed.The degrees of dependency are divided into three different groups, which may indicate the need for a caregiver for the elderly or a residence.
The degrees of dependency are:
- Degree of dependency I: moderate dependency
- Degree of dependency II: severe dependency
- Degree of dependency III: great dependency
Depending on the needs of an elderly person, nursing homes can be a great option when caring for an elderly person. The main benefit of these centers lies in being able to offer much broader coverage than a single caregiver for the elderly, since they will be attentive to your family member 24 hours a day.
In order to help dependent people, as well as family members who care for an elderly person, the State offers both financial aid and services.
During the process, the administration andwill assess the competencies of the dependent person, to know their needs, and establish the pertinent aid. This can help you when deciding whether your family member can be cared for at home, or in a nursing home (which the state eventually makes available to you free of charge).
If you want to know more about dependency aid, download our free ebook:
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In any case, the evaluation and resolution of the aid is not immediate, so you may find it necessary to contract the aid independently, while you wait for the resolution.
An option widely used by chronic patients and elderly people It is the initiative of IMA Health. This is a service for the patient, which allows them to receive medication organized by doses and days of the week.
In this way, family members can rest easy knowing that a pharmacist prepares the medication, avoiding errors and facilitating monitoring of medical treatment.
What if my mother doesn't want to go to the residence?
Caring for an elderly person at home or in a nursing home is a very important decision. When dealing with older people, we often think about their physical health, but not their emotional and mental health.
Senior carers are an excellent alternative to nursing homes. Beyond the objective needs that we can find, it is essential to always take into account the opinion of the dependent person, how they relate to their environment.
When to hire a caregiver for the elderly?
Whether you enjoy getting together with friends or other people in your neighborhood, or if you have established a routine that you can hardly do anywhere else, Changing your place of residence could be a negative shock.
A senior caregiver will likely offer you the help you need, without your day-to-day life suddenly changing. In addition, a professional at home will allow family and friends to visit without time restrictions, as can be seen in nursing homes.
And, in the words of the WHO, the healthy aging of a person includes the home, the community, and society in general.
In the unavoidable case of going to a residence, we recommend that it be located in the same area where the elderly person resides, so that their daily life is not too affected.
When should we go to a nursing home?
When a person gets older, they tend to spend more time alone, and receive less stimuli that allows them to socialize and be distracted.
Many retirees look for associations or hobbies that allow them to establish a routine of interesting activities, such as painting or petanque. However, others decide to spend the day at home, or have reduced mobility, which makes it impossible for them to get around.
The lack of stimuli and motivation can lead to a deterioration in your state of health, both mental and physical. In nursing homes, caregivers of elderly people carry out daily activities and offer emotional support to people at risk of loneliness.
IMA Health helps you take care of the elderly
Do not rush when making such an important decision, and remember to always consult with your parents or the dependents you have in charge.
Whatever decision you make, IMA Health can help you make taking medication much easier.
To obtain IMA Health services completely free of charge,You can do it through IMA Health, or by calling one of their advisors at 93 271 55 36.
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Disclaimer: At IMA we offer advice and information about our products. Consult with an expert before making any decision that may affectÂ