How to Care for an Older Adult

Understand special challenges of caring for elderly patients

With people living longer than ever before, a disproportionate number of patients requiring extended care are older adults who present special challenges to professional and non-professional caregivers. The changes the human body experiences during the aging process are attracting more attention from researchers who train nurses to care for the elderly. Experts in geriatrics now suggest that nurses receive specialized training in elderly care. However, since many older adults are cared for at home, even family members who have no background in healthcare should acquaint themselves with literature and other online resources that support caring for the elderly.

Instructions

1. Start by reading "A New Look at the Old," available on Lippincott's "Nursing Center" website. The introductory paragraphs on the site discuss how caring for older adults requires specialized training not usually provided in standard nursing courses. The text can also help family members who have no medical training to realize there's more involved in caring for elderly patients than they may have thought.

2. Learn about physical and mental health issues specific to older adults at the "Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing." Even if you're not a health care professional, read articles on how to recognize the signs of delirium and caring for afflicted adults. For example, read the article "Delerium: Prevention, Early Recognition, and Treatment." The section under "Nursing Care Strategies" explains how even non-healthcare professionals can provide a healthy environment by reassuring the patient, providing stimulation or eliminating noise. (CE: See "Provide a Therapeutic Environment" under "Nursing Care Strategies" in this article).

3. Consider focused training made available to healthcare professionals by "CoHealth," a company that specializes in healthcare training. Access the company's website which links to text courses like "Caregiving Tips for Managing Troubling Behaviors" or audio files such as "Safety at Home for Older Adults."

4. Understand why boosting self-esteem in older adults is critical to their care. For example, the "Family Caregiver Handbook" explains that elderly patients may feel helpless and depressed because they've lost the ability to care for themselves. The handbook recommends caregivers encourage the patients to reminisce with friends and open up about their anxieties. (CE: see "Self Esteem for the Elderly" on the "Family Caregiver Handbook" website.)

5. Accept that you may need to rearrange priorities in your schedule so that you'll have more time to devote to an elderly adult. The "Family Caregiver Handbook" suggests that the stress which often accompanies geriatric care may require a slower, more thoughtful approach to seemingly mundane tasks, like taking an elderly parent to the doctor. You may need to allot extra time if the visit requires you to offer extra emotional support. (CE: See the article, "Being Grateful as Caregiver" on "Family Caregiver Handbook" site.)

Tips & Warnings

• Many times, caregivers neglect themselves and their families. See "Caring for Your Parents," on the PBS Website. Read "Caring for the Caregiver" and watch the video "Caring for Your Parents" to help you cope with the emotional issues many adults encounter when they become their parents' guardians.

References

• Lippincott's Nursing Center
• Lippincott's Nursing Center
• Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing
• PBS
• CoHealth