Since ancient times, people have been looking for the secret of eternal youth. Although the latest achievements of medicine from Canadian Pharmacy can prolong life for many years, a magic remedy has not yet been invented. Sooner or later there comes a time when the years are taking their toll, and our elderly relatives who once cared for us need care themselves.
Features of senior care
Caring for the elderly is not an easy and very serious matter. It requires not only endurance and patience but also the ability to find contact with a person. Alas, with age, the character of people does not change for the better. An elderly person, tired of poor health and loneliness, hardly controls his mood. Often, older people become self-contained, suspicious, depressive. Therefore, a person who has devoted himself to senior care must be a psychologist who has a stress-resistance and endurance.
However, this is not enough – senior care is impossible without basic medical knowledge and skills. The person who decided to take on the functions of the nurse must be physically strong, know everything about caring for older patients, be able to properly prepare special dietary food, have the skills for all necessary hygienic procedures and some medical manipulations such as massage and injections.
In addition, older people demand attention around the clock like children – often age-related changes and illnesses make them completely helpless. And young relatives cannot devote their own lives to caring for elderly parents. This is a very difficult situation, and the most effective and optimal decision for all its participants is to entrust senior care to professionals.
Professional services for senior care
Senior care for the elderly has two approaches – a visiting nurse or a specialized nursing home. Both options have their advantages and disadvantages.
Nurse
A nurse is a qualified person who has undergone special training and knows how to care for the elderly. This is a difficult job, only those who have not only education but also special personal qualities-patience, diligence, sense of humor, compassion, and sincerity, can do it. This combination is rare, so there are not so many good nurses.
Caregivers can visit a patient every day (with hourly pay) or live with him (with a fixed payment for a certain period of time).
Advantages. The advantage of such services is flexibility – the customer pays for as many hours of nursing work as he needs. The nurse comes to the house, which means that the patient does not need to move anywhere. This can be a significant advantage – many older people oppose any major changes, especially the change of residence. And the family does not have to part with a relative.
Disadvantages. Many people feel uncomfortable when an outsider is constantly present in their house, and in fact a nurse really has to spend a lot of time in your apartment. However, this problem does not matter if the elderly relative lives separately.
You need to be prepared for the fact that a carefully selected nurse may for some reason not suit you or she will not have a contact with the patient, and then you will have to start the search process again.
And, finally, the most important difficulty is the issue of trust. You should 100% trust the nurse, in her honesty, conscientiousness, and professionalism – this is a person who will spend a lot of time with a helpless person, and often no one will control this work. Certain guarantees provide good recommendations or you can use a nurse from a specialized agency that checks all employees, but it is not an absolute guarantee.
Prices. The cost of the services of a nurse depends on her experience, skills, personal qualities, the regime of work. All medical manipulations necessary for the patient are paid separately. The higher the qualification of the nurse, the higher the price of the services. In addition to the salary, the customer must provide her with food and accommodation.
Specialized nursing homes (care for the elderly with accommodation)
Services for elderly people are provided by the specialized nursing homes. The modern nursing home is a kind of comfortable hotel with a certain set of medical services. Usually, these nursing homes are located in the suburbs, in green and quiet places, but not too far from the city, so that relatives can easily visit their relatives.
Private nursing homes for the elderly provide not only accommodation and care. They are specially equipped for the elderly with disabilities and offer a very wide range of services, including special medical care and rehabilitation measures (which is especially important for people who survived injuries, surgery, and serious illnesses). In addition, the guests of nursing homes get the opportunity to return to society again.
Isolation of the elderly from the society is a very acute problem because age and loneliness deplete vital forces faster than any illness. In nursing homes, people can chat and have fun – in such places, great attention is paid to cultural programs, concerts, picnics, workshops on various arts and crafts, film screenings and musical evenings.
In Western countries, Canada and the USA, the system of nursing homes for the elderly is very advanced – each country has at least several thousand comfortable institutions for the elderly. Sending a relative to a boarding house is perceived not as a waiver of responsibility, but as an organization of well-deserved rest in the best conditions.
Advantages. The staff of a private boarding house can provide more professional care than a visiting nurse. Nursing homes have the necessary complex equipment, which cannot be installed at home. In addition, the guests are under the supervision of not only highly qualified nurses but also doctors of various profiles. A nurse can only provide life support and basic comfort, but in nursing homes, much attention is paid to improving the quality of life.
Rehabilitation programs help to restore lost functions, the entertainment team amuses guests, chefs develop a healthy and varied menu, and the society of peers gives patients the opportunity to feel a full-fledged person again.
Nursing homes allow you to choose a flexible program designed for any needs and opportunities of customers. Stay can be limited to several days, weeks or months, it is possible to organize permanent residence or choose certain rehabilitation courses of different duration. The advantage of nursing homes is also that the staff is usually very large and each patient can find a nurse he will like.
Disadvantages. In the past 15 years, countryside nursing homes for the elderly are gaining popularity, new facilities are opening regularly, and for today the choice is already quite large. Therefore, in order to find the perfect place for your relatives, you will have to spend some time. You should not choose a nursing home once you visited its website – it is necessary to come to the place, see everything with your own eyes, talk with the staff and, if possible, with other clients. Another disadvantage of a nursing home is rather psychological than practical. Elderly people do not always like the idea of moving to a specialized hotel because they think a nursing home is a sad and gloomy place. Therefore, if possible, you should take a relative with you, so that he would assess the living conditions.
Prices. Prices for senior care in a nursing home are similar to the cost of services provided by a visiting nurse. But for similar money, clients receive much more. Many nursing homes also offer rehabilitation programs designed for several weeks. Of course, a nursing home will cost a bit more, but who wants to save on the health and well-being of the native person? Today, many Americans even take thousand dollar loans to provide their loved ones with proper nursing care. These are usually short-term loans that are due on the day you get your next paycheck. Such loans are suitable for paying an unexpected payment but don’t have the money at the present time. Your income limits the available loan amount, which makes it easier to repay such loans on time. This helps to prevent the cycle of debt. Payday loans are extremely popular in the US because consumers can apply online and get money fast, the application forms are easy, straightforward, and there is no popper work involved..
What kind of nursing home to choose?
A nursing home option is the choice of Canadian Pharmacy. What are the requirements for a good nursing home? The first and most important aspect is an experienced and qualified staff. The entire staff should be friendly, open and pleasant in communication.
The building of a nursing home should be designed for the permanent residence of elderly people with disabilities, the same applies to the territory surrounding the establishment. Convenient wide paths for walks, good lighting, shops, lack of stairs are very important things, which influence the comfort and safety of your loved people.
Finally, the location of a nursing home is of great importance – it should be located in an ecologically clean place, away from busy routes and industrial plants.