What are some daily care tips for the elderly?

The core skills of daily care for the elderly can be summarized as "first adapt, then optimize, pay attention to safety, and smooth emotions." There is no need to pursue the same care list on the Internet. Methods that fit the physical condition and living habits of the elderly are truly useful.

I have been doing nursing and assistance in the community for almost 5 years, and I have seen too many cases where family members have followed the standard online procedures and encountered problems. Let’s talk about Aunt Zhang a while ago. She is 78 years old and her legs and feet are a little awkward. Her son is afraid that she will fall. She followed the guide and covered all the corners of the house with anti-collision strips. Stainless steel handrails were installed in the corridors, bathrooms, and sofas. As a result, the aunt felt that the handrails were cold and the handrails beside the sofa hurt her legs. She always deliberately walked around it when walking, but almost tripped over the anti-slip mat on the ground. Later, we came to help with the adjustment and removed the unnecessary armrests. We only installed models with anti-slip soft covers in the bathroom toilet and shower area. The sofa was replaced with a small rattan side table that she usually likes to put her hands on. The height is just enough for her to hold on when she gets up. Auntie can now walk smoothly and will not deliberately avoid these auxiliary facilities.

When it comes to eating, many family members are always confused about whether to switch to oil-free and sugar-free soft foods for the elderly. The nursing circle has discussed this matter many times before. One group believes that sugar and fat should be strictly controlled as prescribed by the doctor, while the other group believes that the elderly are getting older and eating something they like is better than anything else. In fact, there is really no need to go to extremes. For example, the elderly who have three heights must pay attention to their intake. However, if the elderly love to nibble on a sauce duck and eat a honey sandwich all their lives, not allowing them to touch it at all will make it easier for the elderly to hide and eat it, and accidentally overeat. It is better to cut a thin slice of the sauce duck at a time. , or break the honey into half pieces, and eat it later, which not only satisfies the appetite, but also does not cause the index to fluctuate too much. If you have bad teeth, stew the ingredients a little bit more, and don’t have to beat them all into a paste. Many elderly people find the paste tasteless and get bored after just two bites, which makes them prone to malnutrition.

Grandpa Li, who we took care of before, suffered a stroke and his limbs were weak. His family members were always worried that he would be tired, so they kept him lying down every day. As a result, he developed mild pressure sores in less than two weeks. Later, we taught his family members to turn him over every two hours, wipe him with a warm towel every day to keep his skin dry, and then helped him sit in a wheelchair and go to the balcony to bask in the sun for 10 minutes while moving his arms and legs. The pressure sores disappeared in less than half a month, and he can now eat with a spoon. You see, the more precise the treatment, the more the elderly lie down and rest, the better. Proper activities can help the elderly maintain their physical functions.

Speaking of which, by the way, care for the elderly with cognitive impairment is a headache for many family members. Some people have asked me before if I want to correct the elderly’s wrong memories. For example, the elderly always remember that they still have to go to work, or to find their deceased relatives. Should I directly expose it? There is no standard answer to this. If it doesn't involve safety issues, just follow the instructions. For example, if the old man says that he wants to wait for his wife to come back from get off work for dinner, then just say "Okay, let's put the rice in and dry it first, and he will come after get off work." It is better than insisting that "your wife has left long ago" and making the old man cry for a long time. If the old man really wants to transfer tens of thousands of yuan to buy health care products to a strange "health teacher", which involves property and personal safety, he must stop him in time. If necessary, he can also ask community workers or old colleagues whom the old man trusted to come to the door and persuade him together. This is much more effective than hard arguments with family members.

In fact, caring for the elderly is both difficult and simple. Just like the old Clivia that has been raised for many years, you cannot water it every day like you do with pothos, nor can you bask in the sun every day like you do with succulents. Find out his habits, and it will be more effective than any internet celebrity care recipe.