What are some daily care tips for the elderly

The most practical skills in daily care for the elderly are actually hidden in adapting to the habits and needs of the elderly. There is no need to pursue any professional and complicated operations. Adjusting according to physiological and psychological rhythms is far more effective than rigidly applying unified care standards.

I have been doing home care for almost three years, and I have seen too many cases where family members have exerted too much force. This is the case at Grandma Zhang’s house that I just worked with last month. Her children were afraid that she would fall when she got up, so they piled a circle of anti-collision sponges next to the sofa where she usually stayed. Even the armrest of the sofa that she had supported for more than ten years was covered. On the contrary, every time she got up, she could not reach the place where she could use her strength, and she fell once in two weeks. Later, we removed all the extra protection and only installed an inconspicuous built-in armrest on the side of the sofa where she was used to reaching out. We also replaced her usual cloth shoes with the same old style with non-slip soles. In the past two months, she was able to get up and walk around the living room twice every day without slipping once.

Mobile care should be based on habits, and dietary adjustments should not be "one size fits all". Nowadays, it is always said on the Internet that the diet of the elderly should be as light as possible. In fact, there have been different clinical views. For the elderly without severe hypertension or kidney disease, there is no need to limit salt to the point where they can hardly taste the taste. This is especially true for the elderly with cognitive decline, whose sense of taste degrades quickly. Food that is too bland will make them refuse to eat, which will affect their nutritional intake. I used to take care of Grandpa Li, whose children cooked him boiled vegetable porridge with very little salt. He lost almost 10 pounds in three months. Later, we discussed with the nutritionist to add half a piece of his favorite rose bean curd to every meal, or put a plate of soybean paste that he had eaten for decades as an accompaniment. As long as the total salt intake of the day did not exceed the standard, he can now eat less than half a bowl of rice every meal, and his weight has slowly gained back.

In fact, many people caring for the elderly always focus on physical indicators, but ignore the impact of emotions. This is the easiest pitfall. There used to be a 72-year-old Aunt Wang, who was very filial to her children. She was not allowed to do any work, and she even had to wash her underwear. As a result, she sat by the window in a daze every day, saying that she was a burden to the family, and her blood pressure fluctuated. Later, we discussed with our children and arranged some unburdened "small tasks" for the aunt every day, such as choosing a dish, folding one's own clothes, and asking her to help put away the bowl after the meal. Within two weeks, the aunt talked a lot more, and her blood pressure stabilized. Of course, this is not suitable for all elderly people. If you have severe osteoarthritis or are particularly weak in physical strength, you must try to reduce fatigue as much as possible. The specific situation depends on the elderly person's condition. There is no unified standard answer.

These are all small experiences gained from daily work, and they are not a big deal at all. For example, when measuring blood pressure and blood sugar of an elderly person, don’t roll up your sleeves to get an injection. First, make a few daily remarks, ask what you ate in the morning and whether the magnolia flowers downstairs are blooming. Wait until the person is relaxed and then take the test. The values will be accurate, and the elderly person will not feel like he is a “patient” being checked. When buying clothes, don't always buy special nursing cardigans. Many elderly people don't say it, but they feel that wearing this is to tell others that they are not in good health. If you can buy the pullovers and cotton pants they are used to wearing, buy them as much as possible. It is just to lend a hand when wearing them. The comfort of the elderly is better than anything else.