Problems of older people and home help for the elderly

The problems of older people are associated with poor health, financial situation, and communication problems. The person may not accept or painfully experience the changes that occur in the lifestyle. In order to help and find a way to properly communicate with an older person, it is recommended to understand how an aging person is changing, what difficulties he faces.

The problem of health is quite acute since it significantly affects the quality of life, well-being, the range of tasks performed, and the possibility of self-service. An elderly person is several times more likely to get sick than a young person. In addition to infections and intensification of chronic diseases, typical problems appear – decreased vision, the ability to hear and understand speech, deterioration of fine motor skills, problems with bones and joints.

Older people need companionship, care, and often professional health care. Not every person in the modern rhythm of life or due to material difficulties can free up so much time. River Garden Home Care Agency is one way to solve the problem. The agency provides home help for the elderly. Thus your loved one will receive proper care living safely and independently in his private home. An elderly person will get positive emotions which will positively affect his general condition.

Financial situation significantly affects well-being. The poor financial situation leads to poor nutrition, lack of any entertainment program, the ability to purchase general consumption items, which also leads to anxiety and dissatisfaction.

An elderly person, as a rule, has a declining or completely disappearing social circle, since he no longer attends work, friends, relatives, spouses die or become ill. Some elderly people strive to find a partner in order to solve financial problems, find a friend, support in case of ailments. Some people, on the contrary, perceive loneliness as a gift – they feel free.

There is also a huge list of age-related body changes that older people experience. Skin becomes more sensitive, dry. Hair becomes thin, breaks, turns gray. The total amount of bone tissue decreases, posture changes, cartilage becomes thinner, pain occurs when moving.

Muscle tissue contracts, activity decreases, a person is unable to perform basic household activities, begins to get tired after lunch. Lung tissue is less susceptible to stretching, it becomes difficult to take a big breath, the lungs do not clear quickly, which leads to illness.

Elderly people have a number of psychological problems. Among them is the loss of the fullness of life due to lack of work or decreased activity, psychological protection that does not allow learning new things. Thus an elderly person becomes more economical, tries to stock up on provisions and essential goods, and takes more seriously the smallest social interactions.

All these problems cause a certain reaction in the elderly person to the world, society and interaction with people, and according to the type of this reaction, people can be divided into groups. 

Constructive – a positive attitude towards the world, physical activity, walking, sports whenever possible, traveling, helping others, no health complaints or age-related changes, calmness.

Addicted – fears, desire to get the maximum time and care from loved ones, resentment, feeling unhappy in the absence of attention (as a rule, such people were compliant and passive in their youth).

Protective – no need for communication, a secluded lifestyle, hatred of age and one’s position, anger at the lack of previous activity.

Hostile to the world – a feeling that others have ruined his whole existence, blaming others, harshness and aggressiveness towards society, lack of trust.

Hostile to herself and her life – passivity, hatred of her existence, a tendency to depression, loneliness, the expectation of death as a solution to all problems.

It is useful to know about these positions in order to correctly build a line of communication with an elderly relative, to understand the reasons for certain actions and statements, to try to change something. In a general sense, it is important to provide a person with communication, to set him up positive, to arrange his leisure. An elderly person himself should try to take care of his body, help relatives and family, in order to feel needed, not to succumb to apathy.