Caring
For Our Elderly at Home: What homecare you can access & tips for aids
that can help elderly people live independently
Most elderly
people prefer to remain in their own home as long as possible and can get
quite upset if they think they may have to move, whilst they're still fairly
independent and do not need a care home. Getting them to admit they
may need some help is a major hurdle to overcome, but if the transition
is engineered slowly it becomes a lot easier for them to accept, although
be prepared for some stubbornness.
The First
Steps in Care at Home – Help with Household Chores
One of
the first areas they will need help is possibly with cleaning so employing
a reliable and honest cleaner for a few hours a week will not cost a fortune,
someone perhaps known to your elderly relative, or someone you know would
be best. You can also use a private agency but this is a somewhat
impersonal way, as you'll find older people can enjoy the company and perhaps
a chat over a cup of tea as much as having the cleaning done for them.
Remember you cannot expect perfection but the work must be checked on from
time to time. If a garden is involved that is becoming hard to tackle,
again a gardener to tidy it a few times a year and mow a lawn, if necessary
is a good idea. If the person involved has close family or friends
who drop in from time to time to help, this is invaluable to ensure that
little jobs i.e. changing lightbulbs, hanging new curtains, odd jobs that
occur in any home, if not then if a local odd job man could leave his telephone
number, this will take the worry out of "things going wrong", which older
people can worry terribly about.
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area requiring consideration is washing and ironing, most old people will
battle on and try and do everything, but if you notice the washing basket
not being emptied, un-ironed clothes lying around for longer than usual,
then you know they are struggling. Again if family or close friends
can help this is ideal, but if they live far away, there are services in
the local paper for washing and ironing services for a reasonable charges,
they will collect and deliver the laundry. A Laundromat is another
way of getting this chore done, you will of course need a person to take
it, collect, deliver and iron the laundry. |
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Making
an Elderly Person’s Home a Safe Place
Slips,
trips and falls are very common in the elderly, particularly in the home,
so remove all unnecessary rugs and dangerous pieces of carpet causing a
hazard. Social Services will help with advising you on mobility and
care aids, but you'll find several departments deal with this from Occupational
Therapy, Partially Sighted, Outreach Officer, Day Centres, Wheelchair &
walking aids assessment offices and many other departments.
The
best way forward is to ask for a Social Worker to be assigned to the elderly
person, these people are so used to dealing and know the right questions
to ask and the right way to approach without sounding patronising, putting
the old person at ease, often getting fond of them and visiting them from
time to time to check they are coping okay, another friend and company
for them. Most of them who deal with the elderly genuinely want to
make their lives easier and are kindness themselves.
Arranging
Home Visits for Personal Care
Another
suggestion is to contact a mobile hairdresser, unless the person is pretty
mobile and capable of visiting a local salon, to make appointments for
her to wash and style, & cut from time to time, the person's hair,
particularly if it is a lady, this will improve mood, give them a visit
to look forward to, and make them feel better in themselves. You
will also find opticians will make home visits if requested, plus doctor
should also make home visits and you must insist on this when telephoning
the surgery, unless the person is able enough to attend themselves, or
be transported. Chiropody is needed by old people as they cannot manage
to cut toenails or bend down to deal with their feet, again home visits
will be made by the NHS, unless someone will transport them to the clinic,
again chiropody can be paid for privately. Many firms do run transport
services, using voluntary private car drivers to take the elderly to hospital
appointments, doctors, physiotherapy, dental appointments etc., if there's
no one else able to do so. As these appointments are during the day,
family members may be working and unable to obtain time away from work.
Piece
of Mind – A Personal Alarm System
As already
mentioned, slips, trips and falls are the main causes of harm to the elderly
in their own home. The time will eventually come when you feel your
parent may need an alarm pendant to press for attention if they fall or
are in any trouble of some kind, (this is only for inside the house).
This is relayed to a number and help will be given, or a relative will
be contacted if during out of hours, usually 10pm until 7am. A telephone
and pendant will be provided, although there is a charge for this service.
Sometimes the local council deliver this service, however, many have now
contracted it out to private firms, thus the charges have risen somewhat.
Locating
affordable homecare services – local authority care and private care agencies
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We
now move onto the more serious types of help that may be needed in the
home. Carers may be required to come in to help wash and dress the elderly
person, make them a drink and breakfast, make them a drink and lunch and
then visit again at tea time to ensure they have another meal and beverage.
If they cannot prepare themselves for bed, the carer may well have to come
back and prepare them for bed. Usually the visits start at maybe one or
two once or twice a week and increase as conditions deteriorate. When you
first start thinking about care, Social Services will often give you complimentary
care vouchers for so many hours per year, usually for respite care, when
the main carer i.e. a son or daughter is on holiday, or just as a break
for them, this does not last forever though. These will have to be
monitored and arranged by the main carer. The local authority will provide
the minimum of care, usually free, this differs from |
area to
area, however once several visits per day/week are required, the person
is required to make some contribution or even pay in full.
Private
care agencies can also be used, rather than using the local authority,
in this instance full payment, usually by the hour, is required from the
outset. You can get a list of care agencies from yellow pages, online
directories, libraries, your local social services, town halls etc.
Carers may also have to deal with medication, they are not actually allowed
or qualified to give it to the person, just to remind them or show them
where the pills are. So it is a good idea to purchase a pill box
with the days of the week inscribed on it, so the appropriate tablets can
be inserted to avoid forgetting to take the medication, or mistakes being
made. Suffice it to say, the elderly do get very confused & forgetful
about taking medication, great care must be taken.
Carers
also often have a little chat with the person being cared for, if they
have time. Again some are dedicated about their job and do it well with
great concern, a small minority just rush in and out to get it over with
as soon as possible. You will have to sort the wheat from the chaff, so
to speak. In some cases a carer will pick up small items of shopping or
go to the Post Office etc., as part of the care package, this is something
that can be arranged as care goes on. District nurses will also make
visits from time to time, if the person has a wound that needs treating
e.g. from a fall, again they are a lifeline to save hospital visits.
The only trouble is you may not get the same nurse visiting each time,
which is not continuity and may confuse the patient. Needless to say they
do a very good job in the community.
Meals
On Wheels for the Elderly
Meals
on wheels are a very good service and provide a hot midday meal, main course
and sweet. Prices and quality vary from town to town, but do ensure
the old person eats a well balanced meal once a day, plus they look forward
to the deliverers coming each day and get to know them, they pay them direct,
usually one week in advance.
Tips for
Ensuring Safety and Security
For safety
and security in the home you may need several items. It is a good
idea to have a spy hole & a chain in and on the front door so the |
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elderly
person can see who is calling before opening the door. The elderly
are notorious for being too trustful of callers, who may be bogus, trying
a scam out on them to take money off them unnecessarily. They should
really ask callers for identification but rarely do.
Pensions
now are usually paid into a bank account by direct debit, however, you
can still get your pension at the Post Office by entering a PIN number,
not advisable and confusion reigns this way. Yet on the other hand
some old people do not like having a bank account, the best decision will
have to be made of how the old person will cope. Money does begin
to confuse them, they may even begin to hide it in different places, or
swear they have given you more than they have, often confusing different
denomination notes, leading to them being taken advantage of at times.
Old
people maybe with hearing difficulties will not always hear the doorbell/knocker
to let family or a carer in. Acquiring access by key can also be
a problem for family and carers, a key box can be fitted near the front
door with a security pad fitted, access to the key can then be obtained
by putting the code number into the security pad. Of course this
number should only be given to family and carers who need to gain access.
You will have to stress to the elderly person they must NOT leave keys
in the lock on the inside of the door, thus blocking a key being inserted
from the outside to gain access.
Mobility
Aids for Around the Home
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You
can get fittings from Occupational Therapy for help in the kitchen, a very
hazardous room for the elderly. They can provide jar openers for
stiff arthritic hands, fittings and markers on cookers, washing machines
and
gas fires in lounge areas to ease problems. Pan grilles can be fitted
to the tops of cookers to save accidents, e.g. pans boiling over and scalding.
Help in the bathroom is also possible, raised toilet seats as elderly people
often find regular toilet seats far too low, grip rails for in the bath
and near the toilet, a bath seat which lowers and raises the elderly person
in the bath can be provided, again by Social Services. They do prefer
old people to have a shower, but if a shower is not available this is the
next best thing. A commode may also be necessary as time goes on, as will
incontinence pads, these can be obtained sometimes free, dependent upon
the doctor, Social Services, and the area in which they live. If
the old person finds it difficult to pull zips up or |
socks
etc. you can also get a zip pull or a sock pull, usually purchased privately,
if they find it difficult picking things up a long handled picker-upper,
for want of a better word is a useful gadget. If a wheelchair is
required they will have to be measured up for one, this department is usually
independent of Social Services, but is complimentary, unless you want a
state of the art one, you would have to pay yourself. Maintenance
of wheelchairs is carried out from time to time for the safety of the user.
. Of course all the above can be purchased from mobility shops privately,
as can a wheelchair, stick or walker.
Senior
Day Care
Local
care homes will often have what they call "Open Days" when non residents
can have a day out in the company of people their own age, they will be
collected from their home, have a meal, maybe play a game or two, chat
to people, and returned to their own home at the end of the day.
Not for everyone, but a thought to break the week up and keep the grey
cells alive! Especially for those elderly people who live alone,
this can be a much-needed social activity.
In
terms of stimulation, Talking Books and newspapers are a boon to the elderly,
especially if their sight is not too good, they can keep up with current
affairs and what is going on in the world. Also ensure that they have a
good light to read by as old eyes do not see so well and may get strained.
In fact their accommodation should always be as well lit as possible, avoiding
slips, trips and falls.
Installing
a Stairlift to help keep an elderly person at home
A stairlift
is also a good idea when mobility is suffering, again Social Services will
put the person on a list, but unfortunately the waiting list is usually
very long. If they have sufficient funds they would be well advised
to make a private purchase if help is needed sooner rather than later.
Claiming
Attendance Allowance
Attendance
allowance is a benefit that can be claimed and is not means-tested, there
are 2 levels, depending on the degree of their |
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condition.
A long, complex form will have to be completed, usually by a son or daughter
on their behalf, help can be obtained from Age UK, or other support agencies
for the aged, on completing this form. This allowance is designed
to help pay for care that may be needed as the years increase. It can be
claimed from age 65 onwards.
My
personal experience in arranging care at home for my Mum can hopefully
provide an insight to what help is available, and where to start if you
are dealing with needing to find support for an elderly parent or relative.
I am
sure many old people will reaffirm that staying in their own home, being
cared for by family, with additional support from care agencies and social
services, is so much better for their well-being.
There
are so many affordable homecare services that you can access these days,
that it does make it a cost-effective and caring way to take care of the
elderly where possible.
By
Janice L. Joplin
Nursing
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