Daily care tips for the elderly

Priority should be given to respecting the original habits, small details should be given priority over large-scale supplements and maintenance, and the care plan must be adjusted according to the individual situation of the elderly. If you completely copy the standardized tutorials on the Internet, it will be easy to get into trouble.

I have worked as an auxiliary nurse in a community nursing home for 4 years, and I have seen too many examples of family members following the tutorials of Internet celebrities, which in turn made the elderly uncomfortable. To tell the truth, last year the children of Grandma Wang in our community insisted on replacing her with a memory foam mattress that cost several thousand yuan, saying it was good for the lumbar spine. As a result, Grandma Wang complained of back pain every day after sleeping for half a month. She changed it to the hard palm mattress she had slept on for more than ten years, and she said she felt completely comfortable the next day. Many people always feel that they should give the "best" to the elderly, but for the elderly who have formed living habits for decades, the "accustomed" ones are the most comfortable. Forced changes in work and rest, forced furniture replacement, and forced supplements can easily make the elderly feel anxious and their immunity will decline.

Take the matter of helping the elderly get dressed and washed. There are indeed two different views in the nursing community. One group believes that we should try to encourage the elderly to complete it independently. Even if it is slower, it can exercise hand-eye coordination and muscle strength and delay the progress of disability.； The other group believes that the elderly have slow reactions and poor balance, so helping them avoid collisions and save energy. In fact, there is nothing wrong with both of these statements. If the old man is nimble and willing to do it himself, don't rush to help him. Even if it takes 15 minutes to put on a sweater or squeeze toothpaste onto the counter, don't bother him. The sense of gain in being able to control your own life is more important than anything else. ； If the elderly person already has physical disabilities and has difficulty raising his hand, just quietly lend a hand.

Oh, by the way, the skin of the elderly is more delicate than that of children, which many people don’t notice. Uncle Li at the previous station was filial to his children and would bathe him twice a week, each time using scented shower gel. As a result, he was so itchy that he could not sleep all night long in the winter. After going to a dermatologist for a checkup, he found out that excessive cleaning had damaged the sebum film. There are actually different standards here: the regular requirements of public nursing homes are that bedridden elderly people wipe their bodies every day and shower at least twice a week to avoid bed sores and inflammation of the folds. ； The dermatology department recommends that healthy elderly people with easy mobility in autumn and winter should only wash their hands 1-2 times a week, and try not to use shower gel. There is no conflict between the two in nature, as long as they are adjusted flexibly: when a bedridden elderly person wipes his body, he should focus on cleaning the folds such as the armpits and groin, and wash other areas with warm water, and apply moisturizing body lotion immediately after washing, which can meet the requirements of preventing infection and drying at the same time.

I have to mention a little thing about cutting nails. Don’t cut them right away. First, soak the old man in warm water of about 40 degrees for three to five minutes. Cut the nails once they are soft. Don’t cut too close to the nail groove, otherwise the ingrown toenails will be seriously inflamed. Last year, Aunt Zhang, her granddaughter, was kind enough to cut her nails too hard. The ingrown toenail hurt for almost a month, and she couldn't even go to her favorite square dance downstairs. In the end, she had to go to the surgery for minor treatment.

There are also tips for feeding food and water. Don't always ask "Do you want to drink water?" Most elderly people are afraid of trouble and will most likely say no. If you put warm water in a cup with a straw and hand it to your hand, most of them will take it and take a few sips. Elderly people with a history of cerebral infarction and poor swallowing function should never make others talk while feeding, as it is easy to choke. If they really choke, don't pat the back randomly. Quickly let the elderly lean forward and use an empty fist to lift up from the waist and abdomen. This skill is really recommended for all elderly people at home to learn it. It can save lives at critical moments.

Nowadays, medicine dispensing boxes are recommended on the Internet. This thing is indeed convenient, but if the elderly have mild cognitive impairment, they really should not use it casually. I have seen several elderly people mix up the dates, save yesterday's medicine for today, or take the whole day's amount at once, which is even more dangerous. In this case, either the family members should take the medicine on time every time and watch it finish, or spend more money to buy a smart medicine box with a reminder function. When the time comes, only the amount of medicine for the current period can be taken out, which is much safer.

In fact, after doing nursing for so long, my biggest feeling is that these techniques are all "techniques" to put it bluntly. The most important thing is to squat down more and listen to the elderly person what he wants. If you think protein powder has high nutritional value, maybe people like to drink sugar-free soy milk from the breakfast stall downstairs. ； You think soft cakes are easier to digest, but others like to nibble on some cold, hard sesame seeds. Just follow the instructions, it's better than anything else. There is no perfect standard of care. Making the elderly comfortable and happy is the best technique.