Basic care tips for the elderly

A person in their senior years needs extra attention, especially if they have a disease. Close friends and family members may not always have spare time to spend days near a relative’s bed. That is why many people are considering how to deal with such a predicament.

Atherosclerosis, bone and joint diseases, arterial hypertension, and respiratory system illnesses all rise with age. The socio-psychological condition of such patients is also changing. As a result, it’s critical to consider the unique challenges of caring for older individuals. Hospitalization is difficult for the elderly, and even home bed rest is difficult for them.

Caring for the elderly is not a simple task to complete. Maintaining an aged person’s normal psychological and physical state needs a lot of effort and care. It requires a detailed examination of social and psychological factors. Let’s have a look at some basic tips for elderly care. We’ve brought to attention some simple recommendations for you.

Take care of your sleep

It is essential for the elderly to get enough sleep. Their body requires more rest than usual, that’s why they all need at least 7 hours of sleep. Enough sleep ensures the normalization of the functioning of the nervous system, which is in an exhausted state among the elderly. And the exhaustion of the central nervous system can cause insomnia, which weakens the body and worsens the emotional state. Insomnia is very common in old age. In some cases, elderly patients are prescribed pills to help them normalize their sleep routine. However, they must be prescribed by a doctor and it’s critical to see a doctor periodically not to get into the addiction to drugs.

To maintain the best conditions for an elderly person to sleep it is necessary to create favorable conditions such as;

silence in the room
clean and comfortable bed
normal temperature in the bedroom
regular ventilation
warm blanket

It’s also essential to keep the diet. It’s recommended to eat four hours before bedtime. During dinner, it’s better to exclude sweets, strong tea, and coffee. Instead, it’s good to have a walk-in fresh air or at least go out to the balcony.

To maintain the sleep time order, you should organize the daily activities in such a way as to exclude daytime sleep.

And one of the biggest troubles of the elderly, which causes a lot of anxiety, is nocturnal diuresis, which is caused by age-related kidney disorders. To cope with this problem, it is important not to drink before going to bed and avoid diuretic products.

Personal hygiene: a key point to elderly care

It is very important that an elderly person observe personal hygiene. The main point of personal hygiene for the elderly is to use nourishing cream for dry skin along with moisturizing soap. Otherwise, it does not differ from the hygiene of all other people.

Avoid accidents

A significant deterioration in physical condition can cause a sudden accident. The consequences of an accident can be the most deplorable, because dislocations, bruises, and fractures in the elderly heal much slower.

To minimize the likelihood of falls and injuries, you should take the prevention measures;

install handrails in the bathroom;
put rubber mats on the floor;
it’s recommended to remove all the unnecessary furniture;
lighten your house, etc.

The right care for the elderly may be way difficult and challenging. It’s important to be attentive and patient. Many people don’t even say what problems they have no to disturb their relatives. If you feel like you cannot support your loved ones, hospice care is the best option. Remember, you also need care and support.