Problems Senior Citizens Face in Home Care
Sep 15, 2016 by Comfort Keepers Myrtle Beach
Old age is a phase in life that comes to virtually everyone who survives through middle age. Logically speaking, old age should be far more comfortable than any other time in life. Unfortunately, that is not the case for most senior citizens. The iron of old age is that, apart from the usual challenges in life, senior citizens are exposed to the challenges specific to their age group as well.
They have to face many problems in home care for a variety of reasons. Here is a list of some of the problems that senior citizens face in home care and otherwise:
Medical issues
The most prevalent and universal cause of home care problems for senior citizens are associated with health issues. Old age brings on diseases that have high dependency and carry strong implications both for the senior citizens and their caregivers. Some the disease that causes dependency issues is cataracts, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, insomnia, dementia, and macular degeneration. These medical issues impair the physical ability to the extent of physical paralysis in certain cases resulting in strong psychological and physiological implications in senior citizens.
Health care expenses
Many a times, complicated medical conditions in senior citizens call for expert medical advice and advanced treatment regimens. Such an eventuality calls for expensive medical treatment and in the absence of government sponsored health plans or health insurance, the cost of such treatment can be astronomical and prohibitive.
Special requirements relating to aging
With aging, the entire anatomical structure weakens and it becomes a nightmare for senior citizens to even undertake routine life executions. They may have special needs like toilets, beds, physical aids, hearing implants and wheelchair access. Specialized nutrition and exercising may as well be needed to cope up with routine life functions.
Physical aid and assistance
Senior citizens may not be in a physical condition to visit doctors, shop for groceries, house cleaning and other day to day chores. This demands physical help from others in the household or hired professionals.
Financial instability
For many senior citizens, advanced age may mean drying up of regular income sources or a reliable monthly income. This may mean depreciation in the quality of life they have been used to in yester years. This can lead to a killing sense of insecurity and helplessness.
Loneliness and Depression
Physical inability to move can restrict the senior citizens to the four walls of their home. Gradually, they lose their touch with the outside world (more so when their age mates face the similar problems) and go into isolation. Isolation breeds the feeling of loneliness and that leads to inevitable depression.
The feeling of being left out
The times have changed quickly and old people find it difficult to keep in touch with the social, cultural, technological and physical realities. This leads to the feeling of “being left out” and adds to the feeling of depression and inadequacy.
Abuse and Neglect by the caregivers
One of the most serious problems that old age people can face is the physical abuse and neglect by their caregivers. It may lead to serious physical harm and even death in extreme cases. It may come from a frustrated nurse or even from a burdened family member.
