Caregivers Gain New Perspective on Elderly Care
Seniors Want Family and Agency Workers to Relate to Elder Needs
Sep 13, 2009
Young adult family members and caregiver agency workers don't know a lot about modern elderly culture. Even the "experts" don't always see things from the older person's point of view, as many often revert to the stereotypical picture of old age. Seniors going through the elderly experience know the price one pays for aging, and many refuse to accept the stigma of being useless old people.
Today's seniors don't fit the profile of elderly people of the past. Some of the frailest elderly individuals are focused on life and looking forward to the years ahead. The oldest people on the planet are making the news, telling the secrets of their long lives, and how they manage to live each day to the fullest.
Increased life expectancy means the senior age group may span thirty years or more. For many older people, this is not a time to "wind down" but to get keyed up, going places and doing things that had to be put off because of work obligations and raising a family.
Elderly People Prefer to Keep Right on Living
So much has changed for seniors over the last decade, not just in healthcare reform, but in lifestyle habits. Where once there were only nursing homes to house the elderly, now there are retirement communities and multiple levels of housing that offer programs tailored to fit an older person's needs.
The majority of nursing homes aren't what they used to be, either. Many nursing facilities and assisted living centers feature in-house and off-campus programs for the elderly. Seniors enjoy scheduled organized outings where staff members and volunteers take residents on trips to the mall or to community events. Older people don't want to be ignored; they want to keep on living.
AOL Health features the article, "Back to School – in a Nursing Home" by Judi Ketteler (Sept. 2009). Ketteler interviewed college students who recently participated in Learning by Living – a program run by the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. Medical students who are studying geriatric medicine (or other medical disciplines) sign up to live in one of several participating nursing homes for 10 days.
Ketteler quotes UNE med student Kristen Murphy, 38, who spent 10 days as a nursing home resident in Sarah Neuman Center for Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Mamaroneck, New York. Ketteler cites Murphy's response to the experience: “I expected isolation, loneliness, and depression. The people there were incredibly warm.” Ketteler goes on to say in the article, "On one level, Murphy was pleasantly surprised. She discovered that there was quite a social scene and quickly made friends." And, "She had wonderful conversations with residents about life, death, love and everything in between." Ketteler also writes, "... [Murphy] suggested that family be more involved in the activities at the nursing home."
How Should Home Caregivers and Agency Workers Respond to the Elderly?
Elderly people want to be treated fairly and respected for who they are. Caregivers, agency attendants, and anyone who oversees the care of an older person is reminded that the elderly person is still an adult and deserves to be treated as such. Many elderly people want to contribute to society as productive individuals. Older family members want to participate in family events, social activities, romance and relationships, volunteer programs, political meetings, and whatever else captures their interest.
Quite a few seniors go right back to work after retirement – some work because they need the money, but others work because they want to. Elderly people can also work from home, drawing on years of experience to create a successful business. Just because an older person needs someone to drive him (or her) around and needs help managing meals, dressing, and so forth, doesn't mean that the person is no longer useful. A frail elderly person no longer able to move about can still have a sharp mind and should be allowed to exercise whatever ability is left.
In an age where technology makes so many things possible – and easily accessible – one can run a business, conduct meetings, take college classes, teach college courses, write a book, and engage in hundreds of other activities from a home office, the comfort of an easy chair, or even a bed. Elderly people provide society with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and valuable information. A caregiver's job certainly isn't what it used to be where seniors are concerned. As the elderly culture takes on new vitality for life, one of the best ways a caregiver can show respect and compassion is to encourage an aging parent or elderly person to stay active and involved.
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