Personal care services for the elderly
In the last 50 years, the community of elderly people in Europe has increased 8 times. Population ageing is an inevitable process. Living conditions have improved, the family model with one or two children has improved, and ultimately seniors live longer. While in the United Arab Emirates we mostly look for child care, in Europe we look for care for the elderly. As a community, we pursue ourselves, our ambitions and our dreams. Often in this pursuit of success, we lack time for our families, especially our parents and grandparents. They are at an age when they need more attention, often help.
The market for caregivers is developing very dynamically. According to our research, German market is open for caregivers from Eastern Europe. It should not surprise anyone. People from Eastern Europe, especially from Poland and Ukraine are very close to their families. Eastern European caregivers find it easier to establish contact with their clients, they are kind, committed, empathetic and most of all patient. They are not afraid of challenges when working with a sick person. Why? Because they usually take care of their parents themselves or have taken care of them. Also, grandchildren are taught to care for a sick person from an early age. This model of upbringing is appreciated in Germany. According to them, Ukrainian nannies are nice, smiling, hard-working, conscientious and responsible. If you are interested in a job as a caregiver, we are ready to start cooperation.
What does caring for an elderly person look like?
Caring for an elderly person is often a real challenge for a family. It requires time, effort, patience, as well as certain skills. That is why it is necessary to prepare for it properly. What should be kept in mind while taking care of a senior citizen?
You have to listen carefully to the elderly person and try to understand him/her. A person taking care of a senior should remember about the importance of perceptiveness, resistance to stress, knowledge of first aid, and ability to cope in difficult situations. The senior needs to be confident that they can count on the caregiver and rely on them in any situation. Elder care is not easy and requires a lot of patience, gentleness, caution and understanding of the senior's needs. On a daily basis, you have to take into account not only the health condition, but also the habits, character and needs of the senior. Mutual respect will be very important. The elderly person needs to be given a lot of attention so that we can easily identify their desires. Then life together will be much more pleasant.
The basic thing is to monitor the senior's health and react to any disturbing ailment, as well as to make sure that the senior consumes prescribed medications regularly and in proper doses. It is very important to carry out diagnostic tests and regular visits to the doctor, who will check whether the prescribed drugs work properly and whether, for example, the dosage of drugs should not be changed. It is worth knowing as much as possible about the mentee's illness, including in particular what is at risk, what the symptoms of deterioration are, what activities are advisable (e.g. a particular type of physical activity), and which should be avoided. It is crucial to know what to do and how to help the patient if a sudden deterioration of the disease occurs. It is also important to have a general knowledge of diseases of the elderly, such as hypertension, diabetes, dementia, depression, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, visual impairment (cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration) and hearing impairment, gastrointestinal diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, etc.
Senior care includes, among other things, nursing. The way an elderly person is cared for depends on the health and mobility of the senior. The most important things in daily care are:
taking care of hygiene,
regular examinations,
taking medication,
proper dietary composition,
visits to the doctor,
motivating the senior citizen to social activity, to develop interests and social contacts.
The opinions of doctors and caregivers clearly show that maintaining mental and social activity is the basis for the well-being of an elderly person and has a significant impact on their health.
How to care for an elderly person? Here are some principles to follow:
Set aside a place in the house just for the senior, preferably a separate room. If the senior has lived alone so far, it is a good idea to have familiar personal items surrounding them in the new place. This will surely reduce stress related to moving, loss of stability and change of lifestyle. A rehabilitation bed for long-term care with an anti-decubitus mattress is worth equipping (or renting) the senior's room - it has many functions facilitating the patient's movement, getting in and out of bed, sitting down, washing and feeding.
If the elderly person is mobile, encourage him/her to take care of hygiene on their own. To make it easier, install additional handles in the bathroom (e.g. to make getting out of the bathtub easier) or replace the bathtub with a shower. Steps, non-slip mats and extra lighting will also help. If the disease makes it impossible to wash oneself, it is worth getting a set of bed pads, sponges and extra towels. At the pharmacy there are special preparations for the skin of persons lying down, which help in the prevention of decubitus ulcers. Remember to thoroughly dry the skin, massage and stimulate microcirculation in the tissues. If there is such a need (the patient does not hold urine and feces, cannot go to the bathroom by himself), it is also good to buy diapers at the pharmacy. There is a possibility of reimbursement of their purchase, so it is worth taking advantage of this option. You can also buy or rent special wheelchairs with a hole in the seat, which make it easier for a patient to deal with physiological needs.
What should a senior's diet be?
A senior's diet should be primarily easy to digest and provide all the nutrients needed. Make sure that meals are fresh and the products are natural. Processed food, ready-made meals, fatty and fried food, fast food or fizzy drinks as well as salt and spices should be avoided. The diet must meet three basic conditions: diverse selection of products, regularity of meals (4-5 small portions), as well as their appropriate caloric content (about 1750 kcal per day for women and 1950 kcal for men). Always pay attention to the culinary habits of your senior and respect them. An important source of food in the diet of the elderly should be: sea fish, lean meat and cold cuts, vegetable fats or nuts. Meals which are difficult to digest, e.g. those based on beans, mushrooms or cabbage, are not recommended due to poorer tolerance and long gastric retention. It is also very important that at least one meal should be prepared warm. When constipation occurs, products containing fibre should be consumed, e.g. dried fruit, vegetable juices, groats (buckwheat, barley), wholemeal bread, graham, brown rice or purées. Definitely avoid overeating. In the case of illnesses such as diabetes, kidney failure, liver problems, or gastrointestinal disorders, the diet should be modified according to the doctor's recommendations. In order to encourage the elderly person to eat, it is worth taking care of the taste of food, high quality of products and attractive appearance of dishes. Appetite will also be stimulated by pleasant company at the table.
Supplementation of the elderly
A senior's diet should be rich in vitamins and minerals. The diet should include potassium and fatty acids that are beneficial to health. It is also very important to take care of the proper amount of protein in the diet, especially the complete one, which can be found, among others, in lean meat. An elderly person should consume about 1.5 g of protein per kg of body weight per day, and each of the three main meals should be rich in protein. An adequate intake of vitamins is also extremely important in old age. For example, vitamins A, E and C are antioxidants that protect the body against the formation of free radicals that damage cells. Deficiencies of these vitamins increase the risk of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cataracts. The main sources in the diet should also be vitamin D, K, folic acid and B vitamins. It is also important to ensure an adequate amount of calcium and iron. Therefore, the staple foods of a senior should include natural yogurt, green vegetables or pulses. It is also important to consume at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits and drink enough water (not less than about 2000 ml/day). It is best to drink non-carbonated water at a temperature of about 15°C to quench your thirst. Dietary supplements for the elderly, available on the market, may also help in nutrition, providing the body with the right amount of nutrients, adapted to the patient's age and health condition.
Undoubtedly, caring for an elderly person is not easy, especially if you are caring for the person closest to you, such as a parent, which is made even more difficult by a strong emotional bond. However, if we know how to properly care for a senior, life together will be rewarding, both for the senior and the caregiver.